This was certainly the coolest season Misha’s Vineyard has experienced, and the sub-region of Bendigo is considered one of the warmest sub-regions in Central Otago. After a mild and dry winter, spring was cooler than average despite a warm start to the season in September. The cool conditions continued into December, a critical time for flowering, and then stayed cooler than normal for the rest of summer. There was also more rain than usual throughout the season. Whilst the vineyard normally has spring winds, the winds were unrelenting and continued through summer. The fruit was harvested in very good condition with smaller bunches and smaller berries and whilst that may be good for quality, the yields were substantially down on the averages.
The harvest ran from April 5 to May 4.
