McLAREN Vale grape growers and winemakers are preparing for a bumper vintage, with recent rains and cool conditions expected to produce top-quality grapes.
McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association chairwoman Pip Forrester said early predictions indicated a “superb” grape quality.
“The rain and the weather we had during winter and autumn have provided really good growing conditions,” Ms Forrester said.
Some vignerons predicted vintage would start about three weeks later than usual, with the first grapes - usually chardonnay - to be picked towards the end of February.
“We haven’t had the really hot November and December that we’ve had in previous years, which has allowed the grapes to ripen more slowly,” Ms Forrester said.
Optimism is growing in the region after a few “average” seasons, including 2009, when some vineyards recorded crop losses of up to 75 per cent during the 40C-plus heatwave. Kay Brothers chief winemaker Colin Kay tipped chardonnay would be ready for picking in late February, followed by shiraz in the first week of March.
“Vintage will be a little bit later than normal but nothing too outside the boundaries,” said Mr Kay, who is entering his 42nd vintage.
“It’s a highly inexact science - the earliest vintage we’ve had in our 120 years was on January 28 and the latest was March 23.”
He said McLaren Vale was lucky to largely avoid fungus downy mildew which plagued eastern states.
“It’s been a year where there have been some fungal disease pressures but we’ve been pretty well off compared with our eastern counterparts,” Mr Kay said.
Chapel Hill winemaker Michael Fragos expected good-quality fruit and an average yield this vintage.
“We haven’t really had any extended hot periods this season, so in a way we’re sort of closer to being back where we used to be,” said Mr Fragos, the 2010 Bushing King.
“The cooler conditions allow more development of flavour and more mature tannins. During hot weather, the grapes ripen really quickly and you get the sugar but not the colour or the flavour.”
He tipped chardonnay would be ready to pick in the third week of February, compared with the first week in February in previous years.
VINTAGE NOTES
A wine’s vintage tells you the year in which the grapes were picked
Most still wines come from a single vintage; fortified and sparklings are usually made from a blend of different vintages.
Vintage quality is dependent on weather conditions and grape management
Shiraz ripens well in dry, sunny conditions while sauvignon blanc grows better in cool, damp conditions
(News Community Media)
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