2014 Regional Vintage Report NORTHLAND

2014 provided us ideal conditions for a bumper grape harvest in Northland,  "I believe the wines will express the positive qualities that the Northland climates and soils have to offer."
 
Spring was dry and warm with a fire ban starting in October signaling a good start to the season. Flowering was around two weeks earlier than usual and pollination was pretty near perfect.  Good rainfall in December brought ground water levels back to an expectable level without any disease pressure.

Harvest followed, the early flowering starting in late January and the settled warm dry patterns continued.

Cyclone Luci in March brought the wind without the expected rain and from then till the end of harvest in mid April most of Northland had less than 10 ml.
 
From the early varieties like Pinot Gris through to last picks of Bordeaux blends and Syrahs, volumes were up as was the quality. 2014 as with 2013 would score around 9 out of 10 and for the first time since 2004.
 
Total crush will exceed 200 tonnes.
 

Rod McGuiver
Marsden Estate 
Northland Winegrowers Association 


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