The nets are off, the grapes are in and the winemakers (plus their accountants) are very happy this vintage. This is a season that will be remembered in years to come as it continues to be enjoyed in the bottle.

Spring 2009 frosts proved non-damaging and had everyone looking forward to a long warm summer when October threw a curve ball with windy and very cold weather. This continued with above average rainfall and cooler temperatures until the end of December. Consequently the soil remained cool and slowed the growth of the vines, resulting in flowering occurring around two weeks later than normal.

A fairly perfect April with a record warm and dry month for the region, allowed the crops to hang for maximum ripeness and tannin structure. The crop size is down from 2009 but is still a good yield and provides the region with consistency again, at last! The bunches are healthy with nice small berries to provide concentrated flavours in the final wines. Look forward to some fantastic wines from Masterton, Gladstone and Martinborough for 2010 vintage.

Winemaker and consultant in the region, Chris Archer says, “It’s a good year for the region’s signature variety of Pinot Noir where bunch exposure and good canopy management paid off. Those that did the right things are in the position of making greatness with the Pinot. The long autumn bodes well for later ripening varieties like Riesling and combined with low botrytis will see lighter styles for this vintage.”

Over 60 Martinborough wines were shown during a recent tasting at the Martinborough wineries annual vintage event for the hospitality trade. It showed the tried and true Martinborough brands as consistently good, with a few surprises that made a tired palate on a Tuesday night sit up and take notice – namely Big Sky Pinot Noir 2008 and Cambridge Road Pinot Noir plus their Pinot Noir/Syrah 2008 blend. The latter was interesting for its unorthodox blend, for this region anyway, and rewarded with a complexity of flavours and a purity of fruit. This is a beautifully crafted wine which should cellar nicely and is well balanced with the characteristic peppery notes of Syrah and fruit sweetness from the Pinot Noir. It’s a pleasure to drink now and is available at the Martinborough Wine Centre.

The Wairarapa/Martinborough wine region is distinctive also for its aromatic varieties. This was aptly shown in many of the Rieslings such as the Hudson Riesling 2008 and highlighted in the Dry River Gewurztraminer 2009 which is an absolute treat - the only issue being the very small quantities made of these varieties.