NZ Sauvignon Blanc yields might be lower

Torrential downpours just as New Zealand’s flagship white grape, Sauvignon Blanc, was about to finish its flowering, has resulted in certain growers in Nelson predicting lower than normal yields for this year’s harvest.

Smaller yields could be positive for people who did not have a contract for their grapes

This follows a deluge of rain that came three weeks earlier, affecting other grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and some Chardonnay.

The downpour will raise the risk of disease nearer harvest time, despite efforts to keep up to date with sprays.

New Zealand arguably produces some of the world’s finest Sauvignon Blanc wines, often beating the famed Sauvignon-based French wines like Sancerre and Pouilly Fume produced in the country’s northern Loire Valley wine region.

One winery estate managing director said: “While Sauvignon Blanc hasn’t been as badly affected as other varieties, yields will be down in Nelson, no doubt about that.

“If this rain continues, no matter what you have done it must have some effect.”

Managing botrytis would be the major problem but, if it could be controlled, some good-quality wines could still be produced, he said.

“There will be low yields so hopefully they will all ripen earlier than normal and we will get some good fruit character coming through.

Another vineyard owner said that they were more fortunate than other growers as most of their crop flowered during the sunny spell before Christmas, so yields shouldn’t be too badly hit.

“I’m sure there will be some effect, but we don’t think it will be drastic,” he said.

During the dry break between bouts of heavy rain when Sauvignon Blanc had raced through flowering, they had sprayed, but there was a risk that some of it may have since been washed off.

New Zealand Winegrowers chairman said flowering was very slow this season due to cooler weather.

Smaller yields would be a bad thing for individual growers, but could be positive for people who did not have a contract for their grapes.