Smooth and easy vintage
Smooth and easy vintageVINTAGE REPORT: 2025
Lawson’s Dry Hills winemaker Marcus Wright
Marlborough’s 2025 vintage was “smooth and easy and didn’t miss a beat,” says Jamie Marfell, group winemaker NZ at Vinarchy (formerly Pernod Ricard Winemakers). “Because the crop levels were up everything was ripening quite evenly and slowly, it wasn’t a rush and we brought in strong fruit across the region.
“The winery kept up with everything coming through the door and we were getting absolutely clean juice going into ferment. That’s the mark of a good vintage, when your ferments kick off after a couple of days, and the winery and everyone is working together, going to plan.” He says the well-paced harvest was a great way to mark 50 years since the first Sauvignon Blanc was planted in their Brancott vineyard.
Warm and sunny weather in late November and early December was a factor in setting up the region for a bumper crop. “Flowering and fruit set was some of the best we’ve ever had,” says Matt Mitchell, general manager winery, at Marisco. “Experienced viticulturists talked about some of the largest bunch sizes they’d ever seen and there were a lot of them on each vine.”
Some cooler temperatures and low sunshine hours in January were concerning, but the arrival of a beautiful summer in February and March calmed the nerves and provided an extended harvesting window.
Monitoring by the Marlborough Research Centre showed highly variable temperatures over the summer, with the warmest December on record (average of 19.2C), followed by a noticeably cold January (average of 16.8C; 1.4C below the long-term average). Marlborough District Council hydrologist Charlotte Tomlinson says the irrigation season began and ended with high rainfall months (October and April), and five months of low rainfall in between. Total summer rainfall was 75 mm, about half the long-term average.
Lawson’s Dry Hills winemaker Marcus Wright says the very favourable weather led to lovely flavour development across the board. “We’re excited about what the white varietals offer this vintage. With Sauvignon Blanc we had a broad range of flavours and good concentration giving us lots of great blending options. Chardonnay was beautifully clean with concentrated flavours and a crisp acidity. Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer have had extended time to ripen which has resulted in good depth of flavour and lovely texture.”
“Marlborough has delivered once again on quality,” says Eva Pemper, founder and winemaker of Eva Pemper Wines. “While the season came with challenges – higher yields and a longer ripening period – the results are exciting. The range of flavours we’re seeing across different picks will bring real complexity and character to the wines.
“Walking into the winery each day and smelling those beautifully perfumed ferments was a highlight. I’m especially excited about the Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2025 wines will be full of flavour and personality,” she says.
Jamie Marfell says he was struck by the purity of fruit across all the sub regions of Marlborough: “I wouldn’t put a finger on one being better than another. It’s a high standard across them all.”
Managing the large crop was a feature of Vintage 2025, with most wineries setting caps (limits) on growers for how much fruit would be harvested per vineyard. Stephen Bradley, head of viticulture for Constellation Brands, says growers worked in advance to reduce yields, with cane-cutting around the district and some harvesting fruit to the ground. “In other years there’s been pressure to take [everything] but this was an opportunity to be more selective, which increases quality.”
Mike Brown, CEO of Marlborough Grape Growers Co-operative, says managing the large crop was important in the current global situation. “We’ve had big harvests in 2022 and 2023, allied with softer demand in some markets. We all have a part to play in keeping up the quality of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and rebalancing the supply and demand.”
Photo 1: Eva Pemper
Photo 2: Marcus Wright
Photo 3: Matt Mitchell
Editor Notes
Wine Marlborough Ltd is the trading name of the Marlborough Winegrowers Association
Wine Marlborough represent the interests of Marlborough grape growers and wine companies, which produce approximately 80% of New Zealand’s wine. The wine industry accounts for 20% of Marlborough’s GDP and one in five jobs in the region.
Our purpose is to proudly stand up for, and build, the reputation of Marlborough’s wine region.
The Marlborough Winegrowers Association Board (MWG) is made up of five wine companies and five grape grower representatives.
