Harvest started on the 26th March at The Fusilier, Bannockburn and finished on the 17th April at The First Paddock, Gibbston. Two Paddocks’ Viticulturist, Mike Wing, celebrated his 20th vintage this year and described this significant season as “A game of two halves”.
The first half was characterised by the coldest Spring in five years and hence there was a lot of frost fighting with overhead water, which in turn stimulated weed growth. The finale was a hail event in Alexandra in January that affected some of the vineyards and so the early part of the growing season is aptly described as challenging.
February and March then delivered warm settled weather and ripening progressed well. There was no Autumnal frost fighting and overall the 2024 crop was clean, ripe and at optimum quantity levels.