Does anyone know the typical harvest start date in Central Otago? I’m committed to working this harvest in Central Otago, and I’m wondering if I can squeeze in a harvest anywhere else - North Island, Margaret River, or Barossa perhaps? Thanks!
Hopefully you’ll get a more informed answer, but knowing NZ harvest dates in general, I suspect Chardonnay is picked mid to late March and Pinot Noir in April. If you are shooting for 2 Antipodean harvests I suspect the Hunter Valley would be the best partner. They pull in Semillon as early as January and Shiraz no later than March.
Thanks Clayton. I’ve always heard Hunter Valley mentioned as the earliest-picking Australian region, but the wines just don’t interest me. I read on Wikipedia that Central Otago doesn’t pick until mid-late April, sometimes as much as six-seven weeks behind the rest of New Zealand. I have a hard time believing that, but it does make me wonder.
Mid April makes sense for Pinot in Otago. I do think Chardonnay will be earlier - you should probably just ask the winery you’re committed to - which one is it?
On Hunter - I actually think it would be very worthwhile: the semillons are really a unique world class white, and some the shiraz is occasionally special. I would look up Brokenwood - they make a very interesting range from the Hunter as well as a lot of cool climate NSW and Victoria.
Cody,
Clayton is spot on. if you really want any chance at doing 2 harvest in the southern hemisphere you pretty much have to start in hunter, or work sparkling harvest somewhere in Oz. The general start of picking is almost always around April 1st in central, give or take a week or two. The weather can be pretty wildly swinging there though from year to year - i know someone who still had ferments going in mid June this year, and it was a perfect growing season for them. Also, bear in mind that central otago is actually pretty large with quite different weather from region to region. If you are in Gibbston valley, you’ll be later, whereas if you are out in cromwell and bannockburn, it is considerably warmer and thus earlier to harvest.
Basically, do what clayton says: just ask whoever you are committed to when they start and then find someone in hunter or elsewhere who will take you up until that date. you’ll be able to work it out somehow without any real problems.
do you have somewhere lined up already in central, or you are just saying you are committing to going there because you are interested in that particular region? If it’s the second, maybe consider just doing two harvests in oz so you only have to get one visa. do hunter then go down to tasmania or yarra valley to work with the pinots there. in my opinion they make just as good, if not better wine than central, but just haven’t quite gotten the press yet. just my two cents though.
Good luck.