A very good vintage in most region, although the growing season began shakily with a poor fruit set during flowering. The summer was fairly ordinary but the vintage was made by the glorious Indian summer, which particularly favoured late-ripening varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. In Marlborough elegant and refined Sauvignon Blancs were produced although they are maybe not as concentrated as the marvellous 1996s. In Martinborough and Hawke's Bay quantities were down on the 1996s but quality is extremely high, with the long, cool growing season accentuating fruit concentration without any loss of acidity.