With harvesting finished and the 2025 wines underway, Stanley have sent an update from their winemaker, on what is shaping up to be one of the best vintages in recent years.
The season kicked off fast on the back of a dry winter across the country, with a decent budburst and early shoot growth getting things off to a great start. The flowering period that followed was immaculate, with conditions creating a high yield of full bunches.
The period around Christmas and New Year is pivotal to the outcome of any grape harvest in New Zealand. This year they experienced the best that New Zealand has to offer, with one of the lowest rainfall volumes recorded and warm, sunny days being the norm. This was followed by a perfectly timed switch to cooler nights in the weeks prior to harvest, allowing the grapes to finish ripening slowly, whilst maintaining their fresh acidity.
As a result of this exceptional growing season, it’s fair to say potential about the 2025 wines’ is very exciting. The combination of even sized berries, and fantastic ripening points to wines that will show off their lively fruit concentration, balanced by joyous acidity.
We are looking forward to some fantastic wines coming out of this year’s vintage and we can’t wait to share them with you.
Image: harvesting at sunrise in the Sun Valley vineyard; Lake Road