We have a complete vineyard harvest plan. The history and progress of each site is fully documented, with built-in assumptions about likely flavour intensity and viticultural management, overlaid with our stylistic targets.
 
Style is the sum of structure and flavour attributes. All of this comes first from the vineyard, where we work hard to get the harvest in balance. The focus is then transferred to the winery, where we sensitively handle the grapes using a combination of traditional winemaking methods and modern winemaking technology.
 
In essence, we want to do as much as possible in the vineyard, and handle the fruit as little as possible. We give the viticultural team detailed feedback about the pre blending of each batch of grapes. We tell them what we like and want more of and also what we want less of. We are always trying to achieve the best possible balance (acidic / citrus / fruit), while accepting and welcoming the variety of sites and batches and the subtle differences that help us make interesting and great wine.
 
In the end a lot comes down to people - in the vineyard and in the winery. We look for people who, first and foremost, have a passion for New Zealand wine. It’s also important to find people who believe in the Delegat's way, and who identify with our overall objectives.”