Vintage grape harvest 2022 is over and we have finished pressing the very last of our 2022 reds, a sigh of relief in the winery as we proudly look at all that we achieved in our 14th year of winemaking wine. Despite having to face a season of multiple rain events leading up to and in the middle of harvest, remarkably 2022 will be another good vintage in terms of quality for the wine we produce at Cupitt’s Estate. Our winery team has been working exceptionally hard this season to create another vintage of fabulously diverse and delicious wines.
Head Winemaker Wally Cupitt explains; ‘although it’s been a challenging year with above-average rainfall, vintage progressed well. Harvest was the latest we’ve experienced in our 14-year history. As usual, we commenced the vintage with pressing Riesling from Hilltops in mid-March. We sadly lost the estate-grown fruit due to record November rainfall on the coast but all our fruit from Hilltops NSW region, Tumbarumba, Orange and Canberra Districts somehow managed to dodge the rain and are now safely tucked away in the winery and the quality of these wines is looking excellent.’
While the rain has presented some challenges for vintage 2022, the cooler weather provided an extended ripening period over the vineyards where we sourced over 100 tonnes of fruit. This has resulted in harvested fruit that displays excellent varietal characters with a lovely balance between sugar, acidity and tannin. If you’re looking for a standout wine from this vintage, look no further than our Dusty Dog Shiraz. It’s shaping very nicely and is one of the best that Winemaker Wally Cupitt has seen for a few years.
One of the unique aspects of Cupitt’s is the huge range of varieties we produce each year. Vintage 2022 will be no different with the following grapes expected to be delivered throughout vintage - Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Arneis, Riesling, Viognier, Fiano, Pinot Gris, Gruner Veltliner, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz (Canberra & Hilltops).
Each vintage brings with it a unique set of characteristics that change the subtleties in the flavour of the wine – and that's what makes each vintage or year’s harvest so individual and special. We asked Wally which wine he is looking most forward to drinking later in the year and he said “we had such nice fruit coming in this year so it’s very exciting. Each wine has its own unique flavours but if I had to choose one I would select the Viognier, I feel we picked this one in optimal ripeness with the balance of natural acidity, sugar/flavour profile on point. But across the board, with the cool, late vintage I can’t wait to see how they are in Spring for the whites and in 12 months for the reds”
We want to extend our sincere gratitude to the vintage crew this year. Wally, Jasper, Shae and Bec worked extremely hard to make fine wine for us to enjoy.
