Venita Simcox has come a long way since she tried her first red wine – a 1982 Château Margaux – and hated it.
The Central Dozen isn’t about finding the “shiniest examples” of Central Otago Pinot Noir, says Felton Road Winemaker Blair Walter of a new annual selection programme.
Pyramid Valley had its longest Chardonnay Vintage ever this year, thanks to Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago fruit travelling to the North Canterbury winery.
Marlborough’s 2024 vintage was “a return to form for Marlborough summers”, says Astrolabe General Manager Libby Levett.
Abel flew through its spray programme – quite literally – in the lead up to vintage 2024.
Offering work-based training opportunities in vineyards and wineries is key to the viticulture industry, says Tim Henry, Vineyard Manager of Indevin's Gisborne vineyard.
A team of seasonal vineyard workers in Wairarapa are proving a fast, cohesive and dedicated bunch - and that's not just on the football field.
When a 20-year-old Richard Brimer hustled a vintage job at Vidals in 1983, he planned to fund camera equipment for freelancing, and perhaps a surfing holiday in Bali.
New Zealand's total harvest will be well down on 2023, with many wine regions reporting lower yields due to poor flowering, drought-like conditions, and in some cases late spring frost damage.
A single billboard in New York City costs around US$300,000 per year.
Qualmark celebrated its 30th birthday in October 2023, having supported thousands of tourism businesses since it began in 1993. With wine tourism a leading attraction for visitors to New Zealand, Qualmark General Manager Steven Dixon explains what the quality assurance scheme means for New Zealand vineyards and cellar doors.
Pinot Noir New Zealand 2025 will be held in Ōtautahi Christchurch, 11-13 February next year. Committee member Natalie Grace, who is Brand and Marketing Manager for Aotearoa New Zealand Fine Wine Estates (Pyramid Valley, Smith & Sheth and Lowburn Ferry), shares some excellent reasons to get excited.
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With a late frost last year, a hailstorm in February, and frost fighting in March, some subregions of Central Otago have been kept on their toes this season.
Greystone's High Wire project is set to expand across 25% of the North Canterbury vineyard, allowing sheep to graze those blocks year round.
"Conditions are incredible," and "the quality is going to be exceptional", says Mike Saunders from North Canterbury in mid-March, as harvest kicked off for many.
"It's one of the best vintages, I think," says Chris Seifried on day one of Seifried Estate's Nelson harvest. "I'm really excited about it."
"I'm just kind of pinching myself that the weather is so good," says Pernod Ricard's New Zealand Group Winemaker Jamie Marfell, as he approaches what will likely be his first Easter off in 34 years.
The 2024 vintage could be one of Wairarapa's greatest yet, says Foley Wines winemaker John Kavanagh, who heads the winery team at Te Kairanga.
"I'm walking through the winery at the moment and the smells in there are just bloody amazing," says GisVin Chief Winemaker Mark Thompson early on 12 March.
Kumeu River's 2024 harvet was done and dusted by mid-March, with light crops ripening quickly in the dry and warm conditions.
"It's absolutely stunning as far as quality goes," says Church Road winemaker Chris Scott of Hawke's Bay 2024 harvest.
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