High Quality Harvest Bodes Well For Year Ahead

For immediate release
8 March 2007

Vintage 2007: High Quality Harvest Bodes Well For Year Ahead

The 2007 New Zealand grape harvest has commenced with prospects for a high quality vintage following ideal February weather and an encouraging forecast for March.

Commenting on the harvest outlook Philip Gregan, Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand Winegrowers, said at this stage industry expectations for the vintage are extremely positive.

“Recent weather has been perfect with fine, warm days setting the scene for an excellent vintage in all regions,” said Mr Gregan.

In terms of quantity, the 2007 vintage will be harvested from a record producing grape area of around 24,000 hectares, an increase of 2,000 hectares on last year.

Mr Gregan said current expectation is for a vintage slightly larger than 2006, despite the substantial increase in the producing area.

“This year the vintage will be restricted following spring frosts in some areas and a cool December, which affected vine flowering. As a result, our current view is that the harvest will be between 190,000 and 210,000 tonnes of grapes, up from 185,000 tonnes in 2006. This increase is less than earlier expectations,” said Mr Gregan.

“Any vintage larger than last year will be a record for the industry, but a harvest in this range will struggle to keep pace with export growth, which is currently at 30 per cent per annum. A number of companies are already indicating they will be supply constrained into the key markets over the next year.,” said Mr Gregan.

Mr Gregan stressed there were more than two months to pass before growers and wineries would celebrate a successful vintage.

“Vintage is only in the very early stages and won’t be over until mid-May. Only after the final grapes are harvested and the vintage total is known, will the celebrations start,” Mr Gregan said.

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