New Zealand Wine shows optimism for 2026 vintage as harvest begins

New Zealand Wine has welcomed an early harvest “with optimism”, as industry preparations for the 2026 vintage are already underway across the country’s wine regions. According to New Zealand Wine, indicators are pointing to grapes that offer regional diversity, distinctive flavours and ripeness. It notes that 2026 is set to be the earliest harvest season yet, citing ongoing changes in weather patterns to have caused harvest dates to move forward by several weeks in recent years.