A season of firsts shapes 2026 vintage

Craigmore Sustainables is celebrating a year of steady progress across its viticulture business, with first harvests and encouraging early signs of quality from the 2026 vintage.

In Marlborough, harvest has now been completed at Boundary Creek in Blenheim, delivering 652 tonnes of Sauvignon Blanc. At nearby Cat Creek, the team has been delighted with the harvest of the first-ever crop from a vineyard that has been nearly four years in development.

The Cat Creek harvest yielded around 126 tonnes and reflects the culmination of a development that began in 2022. From initial property identification through design, planning and planting, the vineyard has transitioned from bare land to a beautiful, fully established vineyard.

“It’s always a good feeling to see the first crop come off a vineyard that has been developed from scratch,” said Emma Taylor, Viticulture Business Manager at Craigmore. “Cat Creek reflects a significant investment of time, planning and care from the team. Seeing it now produce high-quality fruit is incredibly rewarding and reinforces the long-term approach we take to vineyard development.”

Craigmore’s winemaking partner in Marlborough, Babich Wines, is receiving fruit from Cat Creek and has noted the high quality of the 2026 vintage to date.

“Across Marlborough, we’re seeing excellent fruit condition and balance this season,” Taylor added. “The quality coming off both Boundary Creek and Cat Creek gives us confidence in how these vineyards will perform as they continue to mature.”

Further north in Hawke’s Bay, Craigmore has also completed its first full harvest of Pinot Gris at Springhill Vineyard in Central Hawke’s Bay, providing early insight into the performance of a different grape variety for the site which is predominantly Sauvignon Blanc.

Richard Painter, Winemaker for Indevin in Hawke’s Bay, said the results have been particularly encouraging.

“To see the differentiation in flavour profiles of the various Pinot Gris clones has been exciting,” he said. “We’ve recently blended our Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris wines under the Esk Valley and Leftfield brands, which are both predominantly from Springhill. Both wines are looking excellent, with rich flavour and refreshing acidity.”

Across the wider Craigmore vineyard portfolio, the 2026 harvest reflects a clear focus on fruit quality, despite tighter production conditions. Yield caps saw nearly 400 tonnes of fruit left unharvested to support overall quality, as the industry corrects an oversupply situation following three of the past four vintages producing significantly higher yields. These decisions highlight the importance of striking the right balance between volume, quality and market demand.

“The 2026 harvest has been a great reflection of the progress we’re making across the business,” said Taylor. “Across both newer and more established vineyards, our focus remains on producing high-quality fruit, working closely with our wine partners to achieve the right balance, and building long-term resilience into the business.”

The 2026 vintage highlights the progress of Craigmore’s viticulture business, with an emphasis on consistency, quality, and supplying premium fruit for wine production.