When Neal and Judy Ibbotson bought a bare block of land on the outskirts of Blenheim, it was meant as a stepping stone to something bigger. Instead it was the “right place at the right time”, say the founders of Saint Clair Family Estate, 42 years after planting their first vines.

Marlborough wine companies are counting their luck, after harvesting the 2020 vintage amidst a national lockdown. But the vintage will be remembered for more than winery bubbles and Covid-19 precautions, with a benign season delivering excellent fruit.

“If you didn’t panic; if you weighed up your options and proceeded calmly, then you could make the most of an extremely good harvest - one of the best we’ve had,” says Dog Point viticulturist Nigel Sowman.