Vintage Report · Marlborough, New Zealand
2026 Vintage: From Intense Start Through to Restrained Finish: An Ideal Marlborough Season
A warm spring, an early start and a cool, measured finish - the 2026 Marlborough vintage delivered some of the most characterful fruit we’ve picked in years.
A Season that Awoke Early
The 2026 growing season arrived early, got going fast and didn’t slow down.
Above-average temperatures from September onwards, and a lack of the cold southerly fronts that can slow vine growth in other years, meant the 2026 growing season in Marlborough leapt out of the blocks. Frosts — which usually keep local grapegrowers anxious through spring — were barely a concern. Instead, the region's characteristic nor’west wind swept down the valleys, warming and drying the vines, and promoting vigorous, healthy growth.
Flowering came early — a full week to ten days ahead of schedule — and, crucially, conditions were calm and settled. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris all set well. Crop expectations were moderate, laying the foundation for a promising vintage.
Heat, Balance and a Cool Finish
The early part of the season was notably dry, with only 170mls rain in the four months September through December. Nor’west winds intensified the dry conditions keeping soils lean and vines focused. This period of water stress is something Marlborough growers know well — it concentrates flavour and drives roots deeper. This year the so called "Wither Hills" certainly lived up to their name!
Some welcome rainfall in January restored natural balance, replenishing the soil at just the right moment and removing concerns over drought.
Cooler, more overcast conditions through late summer slowed ripening in the best possible way, giving the grapes extra time to develop flavour complexity as well as sweetness. What had looked like it might be an exceptionally early harvest gradually settled into a more typical, measured timeline — and the grapes were better for it.
“The cooler finish to summer slowed the pace of the season down. And in Marlborough, steady autumn ripening translates directly to flavour in the glass.” - Jules
When We Picked
Harvest unfolded across six weeks, from late February through to early April, spanning both machine-harvested and hand-picked parcels across the Wairau and Awatere Valleys.
- 26 Feb - Clone 95 Chardonnay — Middle Wairau - Our season began with beautiful, pristine fruit
- 10 Mar - 52B Pinot Gris — Meadowbank Vineyard, Tailor Pass in the Southern Valleys - Our first hand-picked fruit was within a day of last year
- 12 Mar - First Sauvignon Blanc — From young vines in our estate-owned Northope Vineyard in the lower Wairau
- Pre-Easter - Majority of harvest completed across all blocks/varieties
- Late Apr - Last Sauvignon Blanc — From the beautiful Altimarloch Vineyard, Upper Awatere Valley, 20 minutes' drive inland.
- 9 Apr - Grüner Veltliner — Always the last to the party, our final hand pick of the season was our single block of Gruner from the middle Wairau valley.
The first two picks landed within a day of our 2025 harvest dates — a reminder that despite the drama of the early season, the vintage found its own rhythm. The Grüner Veltliner, hand-harvested in early April, was a fittingly unhurried close to a season that rewarded patience at every turn.
What to Expect in the Glass
Seasons that begin fast but finish slow give the vines a long growing season to develop intense flavours in their grapes, producing characterful wines with genuine depth. The warmth and energy of spring built potential in the vines, while the cooler close gave them time to develop flavour intensity in the fruit, and preserve the freshness and acidity that defines great Marlborough wine. It’s a combination that nature rarely delivers so generously — and one we’re genuinely excited about.
Early tastings suggest the 2026 Sauvignon Blancs carry lifted aromatics and the crisp precision that Jules loves, with an added textural quality from the long, cool finish. The Pinot Gris and Chardonnay look particularly promising — and if you know Jules, you'll know she doesn't say that lightly. Watch this space as the range is released.
Explore the 2026 vintage range as it’s released — straight from our Marlborough vineyards to your glass.
