It's an overcast day in Auckland and vintage is in full swing... shame about the regular drizzles falling from the thick grey clouds trying to dominate the patches of blue, but at least late summer has been sunnier than it was earlier on...

New Zealand's 2010 vintage is likely to be smaller than the last two years. Let's hope it is. The fall from 285,000 tonnes picked nationally in 2008 and 2009 is only likely to be in the vicinity of... oh, say, 20,000 tonnes - taking the new national total this year to 265,000.

This small decline will be a big help with the country's over-supply.

Brave winemakers are picking fewer grapes.