Two of the historically best performing blocks in the MacDonald’s Wairau Bar Home Vineyard were selected for higher honours and additional yield and canopy management in 2023. These blocks were shoot thinned and had multiple leaf plucks. Seaside 4 (80%) runs parallel to the beach, at just 200 m from the sea. The soils are compositionally higher in sand and shingle and much lower in organic matter. These bony soils result in fruit with good acidity, citrus and floral notes, and a subtle and intriguing briny/saline character. Block 2 (20%) sits about 1200 m from the beach and 120 m from the Wairau River. It has rich alluvial soils, which support a healthy canopy and give ripe, fleshy stone fruit and exotic flavours.