The First Paddock, Gibbston 2017

After a very mild winter the soil temperature at the beginning of Spring was warmer than usual resulting in a solid growth start with reasonable bud burst conditions. The fruit set (bunch formation)was in the first week of December and was relatively consistent. This set up a reasonable and balanced crop load across the vineyard blocks. After this period ‘The Wind’ started and was relentless until the start of March, when thankfully the more typical warm and dry late summer weather patterns of Central Otago were experienced until harvest in April.

The canopy was in good shape here with cover cropping/cultivation producing good spring growth. Bunches and berries were small but relatively consistent. Veraison was slow from lack of heat but crop loads were low, which helped it over the line with brix at 23. At First Paddock Vineyard in Gibbston, once again it was the foundation block of the first 20 rows of clone 5 planted in 1993 that showed the most even bunches and concentrated flavour.