New Zealand's grape harvest falls but winegrowers remain optimistic
June 13, 2021
New Zealand Winegrowers say this year's grape crop is 19 percent smaller than last year's, but the quality is 'exceptional'.
Only 370,000 tonnes of grapes were harvested during the 2021 vintage.
New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan said this is 19 percent less than last year's crop. That's a shortfall equivalent to seven million nine-litre cases of wine.
But that smaller 2021 vintage is being described as exceptional, thanks to favourable weather conditions.
"The autumn was wonderful throughout the country. It's going to deliver wines from Kaitaia down to Alexandra of really fantastic quality.
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Marlborough’s wine vintage is down 21 per cent on last year's crop, and is the smallest harvest since 2015.
