Spring remained cold and wet, with 389mm of rainfall, making it the wettest Spring in 25 years. These conditions were challenging for our viticultural team. Waterlogged soils prevented access to the vineyards, with critical tractor operations delayed several times. Flowering commenced mid to late November amid continuing cold and wet conditions, which protracted our flowering period over several weeks. These challenging conditions prevailed until late December when we finally welcomed warm and sunny days. Fortunately, all our vineyards remained disease-free. Conditions for most of January and February were ideal. All our vineyards were healthy, albeit with very low crop loads. The mild conditions throughout late February and early March made this part of the season almost perfect for slow and steady ripening.

Harvest commenced on 3 March and concluded on 14 April, slightly later than usual. Weather conditions were mild with temperatures below average and rainfall above average, providing gradual ripening throughout harvest with rain events being the only pressure. Our viticulture team worked steadily to deliver pristine fruit to the winery. Yields were lower than average due to the cool and wet 2022 Spring. Despite the low yields, fruit quality is exceptional.