Regions › Oceania › New Zealand
New Zealand. Growing season October–April, harvest usually March–April. 26 vintages of weather, 2000–2025.
Photo: HuttyMcphoo, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Over the 30 growing seasons from 1991 to 2020, Hawke's Bay's vines saw on average 1,440 growing degree days between October and April. That puts it in Winkler region II, close in heat and rain to Burgundy (Côte d'Or), Tokaj and Niagara Peninsula. In a typical year about 463 mm of rain falls in the growing season, 156 mm of it in March–April.
Since 2000 the warmest season was 2020 (+12% against normal) and the coolest 2012 (-9%). The wettest harvest window was 2017, with 344 mm against a normal 156 mm.
The last 10 vintages (2016–2025) averaged +8% against the 1991–2020 normal, compared with -1% for 2000–2009; 9 of those 10 seasons were warmer than normal by more than 3%.
Growing degree days (base 10°C) for each season. The dashed line is the 1991–2020 normal (1,440 GDD) and the shaded band one standard deviation either side: about two years in three fall inside it.
Full bar: rain over the whole growing season. Dark part: rain in the harvest window (March–April). The line is the normal season total, 463 mm.
Oct 2024–Apr 2025
Much warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 6 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2023–Apr 2024
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 8 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2022–Apr 2023
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 19 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2021–Apr 2022
Much warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2020–Apr 2021
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 10 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2019–Apr 2020
Much warmer
Hot months: Nov +3.8° Feb +3.4°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 1 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2018–Apr 2019
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 9 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2017–Apr 2018
Much warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2016–Apr 2017
Much warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 5 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2015–Apr 2016
Much warmer
Hot months: Feb +2.3°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2014–Apr 2015
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 14 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2013–Apr 2014
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 12 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2012–Apr 2013
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 11 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2011–Apr 2012
Much cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 26 of 26 for heat · Winkler I
Oct 2010–Apr 2011
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 17 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2009–Apr 2010
Cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 22 of 26 for heat · Winkler I
Oct 2008–Apr 2009
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 7 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2007–Apr 2008
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 13 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2006–Apr 2007
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 20 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2005–Apr 2006
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 15 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2004–Apr 2005
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 16 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2003–Apr 2004
Much cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 24 of 26 for heat · Winkler I
Oct 2002–Apr 2003
Much cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 25 of 26 for heat · Winkler I
Oct 2001–Apr 2002
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 21 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2000–Apr 2001
Cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler I
Oct 1999–Apr 2000
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 18 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
| Vintage | GDD | vs normal | Season rain | Harvest rain | Hottest month (mean high) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,560 | +8% | 406 mm | 136 mm | December 25.6°C |
| 2024 | 1,520 | +5% | 384 mm | 63 mm | January 26.1°C |
| 2023 | 1,440 | -0% | 835 mm | 131 mm | February 23.7°C |
| 2022 | 1,590 | +10% | 684 mm | 269 mm | December 25.6°C |
| 2021 | 1,500 | +4% | 361 mm | 112 mm | January 25.6°C |
| 2020 | 1,610 | +12% | 350 mm | 121 mm | February 28.2°C |
| 2019 | 1,510 | +5% | 566 mm | 136 mm | January 26.8°C |
| 2018 | 1,600 | +11% | 547 mm | 229 mm | January 26.5°C |
| 2017 | 1,580 | +10% | 600 mm | 344 mm | January 26.7°C |
| 2016 | 1,590 | +10% | 321 mm | 88 mm | February 27.1°C |
| 2015 | 1,480 | +3% | 331 mm | 150 mm | January 25.5°C |
| 2014 | 1,500 | +4% | 502 mm | 210 mm | January 25.6°C |
| 2013 | 1,500 | +4% | 268 mm | 94 mm | January 26.3°C |
| 2012 | 1,310 | -9% | 652 mm | 275 mm | January 24.6°C |
| 2011 | 1,450 | +1% | 683 mm | 334 mm | February 25.7°C |
| 2010 | 1,370 | -5% | 475 mm | 46 mm | February 25.0°C |
| 2009 | 1,530 | +6% | 317 mm | 62 mm | January 26.7°C |
| 2008 | 1,490 | +3% | 398 mm | 166 mm | January 25.6°C |
| 2007 | 1,430 | -1% | 342 mm | 104 mm | January 25.8°C |
| 2006 | 1,480 | +3% | 630 mm | 243 mm | January 26.2°C |
| 2005 | 1,460 | +1% | 401 mm | 156 mm | February 26.2°C |
| 2004 | 1,330 | -8% | 606 mm | 81 mm | January 25.9°C |
| 2003 | 1,310 | -9% | 373 mm | 118 mm | February 25.2°C |
| 2002 | 1,400 | -3% | 534 mm | 80 mm | March 24.1°C |
| 2001 | 1,360 | -5% | 417 mm | 130 mm | February 25.5°C |
| 2000 | 1,450 | +0% | 431 mm | 166 mm | February 26.0°C |
| 1991–2020 | 1,440 | ±9% (1 SD) | 463 mm | 156 mm |
The closest matches on this site by normal heat and season rain. Similar weather is one ingredient; soils, slopes and grapes differ.
