Winemakers thankful for early harvest

Chief winemaker at Gibbston Valley Winery Christopher Keys said it meant they had most of the grapes picked when the snow arrived on Monday. “The good news is we’re 70 percent through harvest at this point so the majority of our pinot has been taken in from the warmer sub-regions,” he said. “It’s still snowing, but that’s only going to affect the later ripening areas that still have fruit hanging on to ripen, so cooler regions, Gibbston, Wanaka. Alexandra, are likely to have fruit still out there.”