2014 Regional Vintage Report NELSON

A moderate winter resulted in warmer than average soil temperatures followed by an early bud break. Nelson Vintage 2014 Earlier than Ever...
 
The weather in November and December was more like our usual for February: hot and dry. Flowering was early and the grass dried to brown. A wet period in the Moutere Hills through flowering resulted in some berry termination but crop loads were not significantly affected. The weather was unusually cool for most of the country in January, but February lived up to Nelson’s sunny expectations, being a warm dry month. The season continued to be two weeks ahead of average.
 
The dry nature of the season started to show in early March with canopies showing some signs of water stress. Disease pressures were low given the dry weather, however sugar accumulation continued to climb into early March. The potential crop loads in the region were heavier than usual, requiring most vineyards to thin the bunches per vine to optimum levels.
 
Phenolic ripeness was reached earlier than usual this year, resulting in one of the earliest harvests on record with most vineyards beginning picking in early- to mid- March. This was fortunate for Nelson’s vineyards as the region was hit by 12 days of steady rain in April, by which time most grapes had been harvested. Fruit was ripe, clean and of good concentration.
 

 

Gisela Purcell

 

General Manager

Nelson WineArt / Nelson Winegrowers Assoc Inc 
 



Back to News