While mother-nature may not have been our friend in many ways this year, there is no denying that she gave us near­ perfect conditions in our vineyards. While, with the exception of December, it was another dry year in Marlborough, it was not exceptionally hot, which allowed the fruit mature well without any undue stress on the vines. The dry weather was also a godsend for our vineyard team, with little disease pressure to worry about after Christmas. Canopy work was undertaken to ensure the bunches received optimum levels of exposure to allow full flavour development, with the resulting fruit proving concentrated and complex. The harvest, while challenging due to the conditions brought about by the COVID19 pandemic, actually took place in near-perfect weather, with sunny days and cool nights, and plenty of time to pick the fruit at the perfect maturity.