Haere Ra 2024: Waitaki
Te Kano Winemaker Dave Sutton looks at an excellent growing season against the pressure of competing land use.
The Good
The Greywackers have enjoyed being able to support our international distibutors in person again – travelling overseas and sharing the Greywacke story with fellow wine enthusiasts. We have recently returned from the Wine Spectator New York Wine Experience, where we were honoroured to present our 2022 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc after being named 10th in the magazine’s revered annual Top Wines list. It was wonderful to see that the appetite for New Zealand wine continues to grow and that consumers are enthused by the calibre of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc being produced today.
The Bad
On my travels to the United States, I visited Napa Valley in California and noticed numerous vineyards not being harvested. Is there a global wine crisis happening? I only hope that we ‘down under’ can learn from this, with growers and wineries working together to enjoy another 50 years of Marlborough wine.
The Awesome
After three vintages of pandemic restrictions and labour shortages, Greywacke – and the Marlborough region as a whole – was grateful to experience a relaxed 2024 harvest. Some say that the 2024 vintage was a once-in-a-lifetime season. Cooler spring temperatures and some frosty mornings reduced yields, followed by a typical El Niño dry warm summer that meant clean ripe fruit for the taking. We saw a generous depth of flavour across all varieties, but I can’t wait for Chardonnay blending – the standout in my eyes!
