Harvest 2025
A Season of Fruitfulness: Our 2025 Harvest at Bride Valley
The season of fruitfulness has truly lived up to its name at Bride Valley this year - we’re thrilled to share that we’ve brought in a bumper crop of 33 tonnes of grapes, more than double last year’s harvest!
Perfect Conditions from Vine to Glass
From the first shoots of spring through to the final days of harvest, the weather has been firmly on our side. Two weeks of dry conditions during flowering in June set the stage beautifully, allowing the fruit to set without disturbance - a stark contrast to the heavy rains that disrupted fruit set in 2024.
This year has also been notably drier overall, with just 259 mm of rainfall between 1st June and 17th October, compared to last year’s 448 mm. These warm, dry months gave us even ripening across all three varieties, while a brief wet spell at the end of September plumped up the bunches just in time. The following dry period allowed sugars to build as acidity softened - perfect conditions for making outstanding wines.
A Chardonnay First for Bride Valley
We’re particularly excited about the Chardonnay from our Daniel’s plot, which recorded the highest sugar levels we’ve ever seen. These grapes are destined for a special project - Bride Valley’s first-ever oaked Chardonnay, which will mature beautifully and be ready for release in 2027.
Harvest Heroes and Community Spirit
Our small vineyard team of nine worked tirelessly throughout the season, and during harvest they were joined by an incredible 25 local pickers - our first year using an entirely local team. The camaraderie in the vineyard was wonderful; laughter and conversation filled the rows as friendships were formed among the vines.
In total, we brought in:
-22.5 tonnes of Chardonnay
-8.2 tonnes of Pinot Noir
-2.5 tonnes of Pinot Meunier
A true team effort, and one that we’ll be celebrating for months to come.
Rest for the Vines, Work for the Vineyard Team
As the vines settle into dormancy after their hard work, our vineyard team continues theirs. There’s maintenance to complete before the sap recedes fully, and then it’s straight into winter pruning at the start of December - the most important task of the year. Almost all of this year’s canopy will be removed, leaving just one or two canes from which next year’s growth will emerge.
The vine’s growing season may be short, but for the team caring for it, the work never truly stops.
Here’s to an exceptional harvest, a remarkable team, and a vintage we can’t wait to share with you in the years to come.
