CLIMATE & GEOGRAPHY

Hawkes Bay is renowned for its Mediterranean climate with long hot summers and mild winters. This is one of the reasons why the region has become so well known for producing great wine and food. The pleasant and settled weather is also one of the prime attarctions for visitors.

The hottest months are December, January and February. Typical summer temperatures range from 20°C to 30°C (maximum daytime). In winter, high temperatures are between 10°C to 15°C. Annual sunshine hours average about 2200.

Hawke's Bay covers a total land area of 1.4 million hectares on 350km of Pacific Ocean coastline.

Vineyards are concentrated in 50km x 30km area around the Hastings and Napier cities within sheltering inland ranges, although more are being planted over a larger area 140km by 60km to the North and South.

 

Over thousands of years, 5 major Hawke’s Bay rivers moved and formed valleys and terraces to create over 25 different soil types from clay loam, to limestone to sands and free draining gravels and red metal.

 

Altitude within Hawke’s Bay ranges from sea level to several hundred metres inland. Warm north-facing hillsides, river valleys and terraces, and coastal areas provide a diversity of low vigour vineyard sites suitable for a diversity of varieties.