Felton Road Pinot Noir Vintage Summary 1997-2008

The vineyard first started cropping in 1995 so for most of the Pinot Noir, this was its third harvest. (Apart from 25 cases bottled and labelled Felton Road from the 1995 vintage for an export trial to the UK, the 1995 and 1996 harvests were sold as grapes). The summer of 1996/7 was very cool with fresh snow falling in the mountains right through January. This also brought significant rain and vegetative growth. The harvest didn't start until April 20; still our latest to date. The wines have good acidity and a distinct herbal streak that has aged into a complex forest floor savoury character.

Warmer than 1997 with low to moderate yields. A very good growing season, but hey, what did we know - this was only our second year of making wine! This was the third harvest for Block 3 which started on April 6. Depending on storage, some bottles of the 1998 Block 3 and all of the 1998 Felton Road Pinot Noir can be found to be a little "funky" with over the top complexity for some tasters; for others it can be found to be very complex and "most Burgundian", due to a Brettanomyces bloom in the bottle. Our bottles of the Block 3 at the winery drink extremely well and we are very pleased with the way the wine has developed, though wines that have been less meticulously stored have not fared so well.

A very hot summer with many days over 30°C resulted in a very early harvest starting on March 27. Large crops probably helped balance this quick ripening. Interestingly, around April 15 (with only a little left to pick), 100mm of snow fell coating vineyards in the Gibbston area, with enough to dust the tanks in Bannockburn - an unusual sight - especially snow heavily laden on the bird nets! Due to the large crop we performed a saignée and made a Vin Gris from many of the Pinot Noir fermenters.

2000 was a vintage that was dominated by the heavy rains in mid-November of 1999 that caused extreme flooding in the towns of Queenstown and Wanaka. This saturated the vineyard soils back when we did not have the cover crops to assist in diverting this excess moisture from the vines. December was dry and just when the vines were getting on top of the excess available moisture we had a very wet January (117mm). We did not irrigate at all during the 1999/2000 growing season. Surprisingly, we already had very small berries (these are pre-determined), and the corresponding low to moderate yields resulted in wines with wonderful depth and concentration. Harvest started on April 12. The 2000's are admired for their concentration and mouthfeel. They have a wonderful forest floor, mushroomy, briary complexity to them with the texture on the palate being their hallmark.

After the lower yielding 2000 vintage, 2001 was large and similar to 1999. Incredibly hot, sunny and stable weather during the flowering in early-mid December gave us the most successful, fastest and most even flowering yet seen. A warm summer but with the heavier crops, harvest started on April 6. Again, due to the large crop we performed a saignée and made a Vin Gris from many of the Pinot Noir fermenters. The wines are elegant and racy with perhaps not the depth that we should normally achieve.

2002 was an exceptional vintage that combined the best elements of the 2000 and 2001 vintages. Very cold winter temperatures in 2001 were followed by an unusually early and warm spring. The potential high quality started with a small fruit set of small berries: the perfect raw material for a great vintage. A moderately warm summer, without the heat spikes (and lows) we typically see, resulted in an early harvest starting on March 26. The fruit ripened very quickly and was the most even and perfect we had ever seen. However, (Pinot Noir is always going to have a however!), the rich, full, plush-ness of the 2002 Pinot Noir give them something of a "New World" character. There is no doubt about the quality of the wines, but many Pinot Noir enthusiasts might prefer the focus and purity of the cooler vintages. These wines are certainly exceptional, whether they are great is another debate.

Perhaps what we would call a more typical growing season, though positively balmy compared to 2004 and 2005. Very cold weather in spring resulted in slow spring growth yet amazingly frost damage free. The warm and settled December provided excellent conditions for a successful flowering resulting in a large crop. This was followed by a typical warm to hot February and March (very dry), which evened growth and ripening. An unusual series of frosts in early to mid-April slowed ripening allowing hang time without the usual rapid sugar accumulation we can sometimes experience. Harvest started on April 6. Again a saignée (Vin Gris) was performed to re-balance the skin to juice ratio. The 2003 vintage can be quite easily compared to 2001 and 1999.

We called this season the coldest yet, and it was; for the 2005 was yet to come. Very late spring frosts in mid and late November caused extensive damage across Central Otago but was limited on our vineyards to vines in the lower lying Block 2 (only a small amount of Pinot Noir and mostly Chardonnay and Riesling). But cool seasons suit us, as we have a warm north facing site and the manpower in the vineyard to cosset grapes through the hard times. A wet February did not result in increased berry size and the dry and warm finish to the season gave small berries and wines of excellent intensity and higher acidities. Harvest started on April 13. Yields averaged about 5 tonnes per hectare for Pinot Noir with small berries, always the sign of a highly concentrated vintage. The cool weather seems to have brought about an almost crystalline purity to the fruit in this vintage; a very true expression of Pinot Noir flavours. The tight focus makes it more a Pinot connoisseur's wine over some of the warmer vintages.

The 2005 vintage is a classic example of the character that comes from a childhood of victory over adversity. It was a trying and frustrating season with a very cool spring and what can only be described as the December from hell. This is the critical flowering and fruit set month, but our diverse range of clones and rootstocks paid dividends in terms of the variation between flowering dates. The end result was a crop averaging just 20hl/ha (3 tonnes per hectare): around half of our usual cropping level. This proved a blessing in disguise as even in the chilling temperatures, our exceptional sites and viticulture achieved optimal ripeness of this small crop. This year could be one of our longest maturing wines we have yet made: our first "Vin de Gard". Time alone will tell whether it will be the finest Felton Road yet, but it will be a contender.

Our earliest starting date yet of March 17 after a particularly hot and dry summer (many days over 30°C with temperatures peaking at 39°C). The hot dry weather through flowering resulted in large berries and large crops leading us to saignée almost all tanks and make another Vin Gris. 2006 made perfumed and elegant wines with a wonderful natural balance. Perhaps not the fruit intensity or depth of the brooding 2005's, but wines that can best be compared to the elegant 2001's and 2003's. Somewhat of a landmark vintage for us being our 10th vintage and also the first where 100% of our Pinot Noir vineyards are being farmed organically and biodynamically.

The 2007 vintage was strongly affected by the cool spring weather with many frost events which fortunately we were able to successfully fight. While we can fight frosts, we can't do anything about the cool weather during flowering and the very cool December of 2006 affected the flowering and resulted in a smaller than average crop (around 25% down). Some very warm temperatures in early February resulted in signs of vine stress around the region but again the moderating platform provided by the organic and biodynamic viticultural programme minimised the affect on our vineyards. A warm and dry March combined with the lighter than normal crops and warmer than usual night time temperatures meant the fruit ripened easier and earlier than expected after such a cool start to the season. Harvest began at the end of March of small berried bunches with excellent ripeness.

The 2007 Pinot Noirs are wines of unmatched concentration and rich complexity without losing any purity or finesse. They combine the ripeness of the 06's with the concentration of the 05's adding a certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we see them as landmark wines. 2007 was also a great vintage for Chardonnay and Riesling: intense flavours from the smaller crops and also crisp acidities adding to their vibrancy and minerality.

The season started with good soil moistures after a relatively wet spring. Warm, stable and sunny weather during flowering resulted in a successful fruit set with moderate to large crops. Above average rainfall throughout the summer months led to healthy canopies with a much decreased dependence on irrigation, and in parts of the vineyard with heavier soils, no irrigation for the whole growing season. Cool night time temperatures leading up to the harvest slowed the ripening so that harvest proceeded over a 4 week period starting on March 25. The harvest period was very dry and the fruit was, as usual, in very good condition. Thankfully, vintage was completed by April 23 after which the weather turned very cold with unseasonal snow in the vineyards and heavy rain at the end of April.

It's interesting to reflect back on our previous vintages knowing what we do now. Every year we learn and apply more. In general, we think there is a quantum leap from 2002 onwards. Could it be because this is when we started converting to organic and biodynamic cultivation? Quite possibly, but more likely we should look to Blair's experience with eleven vintages under his belt, Gareth King leading the viticulture for eight years (with an extensive cover crop programme underway since 2000), and more confidence in letting the wines express themselves, being patient and continually trying to push for quality.

The season started with a normal spring, neither hot nor cool with normal rainfall. There were the usual occasional frost events that were able to be successfully fought. Good weather over flowering resulted in an excellent fruit set. The summer was on the cool side and then February which is normally our warmest and most stable month, was unseasonably cool and wet (although wet for us is still only 48mm but falling on six occasions). In recognition of the cooler summer and then the cool February we were determined to keep crop levels down, so crop thinned more aggressively than normal. Also in recognition of the wet February, we leaf plucked exposing the fruit which is not usual for us. March was a return to normal warm and stable weather and the vines ripened very smoothly and holding great canopy despite the challenges in the weather.

2009 was, for the third season in a row, an early pick for us compared to most other wineries. Picking started on April 2 and was completed on April 22. Fruit quality was near perfect: small berries and bunches and considering the wet February virtually no disease anywhere (a good advert for organics!). Quantity was exactly on target averaging about 5-5.5 t/ha for Pinot Noir. The young wines are showing beautiful aromatics and a purity of fruit expression that is quite thrilling: these are some of the prettiest young wines we have ever seen and should have the potential to match the great 2007's.