In the past five years Marlborough’s vineyard planted area has increased by 24 percent, to nearly 29,000 hectares, with even more growth expected in the next four years.

The Marlborough Wine Industry Growth Forecast is based on a survey of a mix of wineries, growers and industry contractors undertaken at the end of 2020. It shows that in just four years just over 5,500 hectares more vines have been planted in the region.

Marlborough’s 2021 vintage story is one of low crops and “exceptional” wines, according to Forrest Estate General Manager Beth Forrest. “For me it was the year for Sauvignon Blanc,” says the winemaker, describing the complexity of Marlborough’s flagship variety. “They were overly aromatic and beautiful, with multi-layered flavour levels as well.

Plant & Food Research weather expert Rob Agnew says lower yields were due to a variety of factors, including inclement flowering conditions, with Marlborough temperatures mostly lower than average from mid-November to the first week of December last year.

Close to one fifth of all economic activity in Marlborough is generated from the wine industry, according to a report released today.

The report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) was commissioned by Wine Marlborough Ltd and highlights the role the wine industry plays in the continued economic growth of Marlborough.

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.