A dry mild winter meant a continuation of the drought in the North Canterbury region. Late spring frosts lowered yields in some vineyards and added to the stress on the vines as canopies were established. Un seasonally heavy rainfall in January provided some reprieve from the drought and the vines around the valley sprung to life pushing young shoot tips and completing canopy establishment. Dry conditions return and continued into late Autumn allowing gradual and even ripening of fruit with very little disease pressure. Despite the early season challenges vintage 2016 ended with balanced, ripe, and disease free fruit making harvest a deserved celebration of another unique harvest.