The Auswine Forum

Posted: **Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:30 am**

Living in Adelaide allows you to assess the weather being experienced in the SA wine regions. It's been an amazingly cool summer so far with only a few days above 37C. Little or no rain recently apart from refreshing showers. Reminds me a little of the start to 2002 when I recall sitting in front of the computer with Ugg boots on in February. A winery guy on the radio noted the weather has been perfect and hopefully would remain so until the reds start coming off in a month. February/March are the hotter months with heatwaves common (remember 2008) so its still not in the bag.

Are there any reports on whites that are probably being harvested at the moment and any reports on progress of reds. Hopefully the long suffering wineries will get their 5th good harvest out of the last 6 with two - 2010 and 2012 being great.

Carl

Posted: **Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:44 am**

I heard Hunter is borderline with some grapes at risk from a few days of steady heavy rain. Some whites were picked already and a bit of red, but suspect a mixed vintage.

Source was here.. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-28/sudden-downpour-over-vineyards-threatens-hunter-vintage/6050586

Posted: **Sat Jan 31, 2015 4:31 pm**

Canberra is looking pretty good with most of the rain missing the vineyards. The cooler weather is allowing for some more hang time so that's welcome too as long as the rains stays away. Veraison is mostly well advanced from my limited observation.

Posted: **Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:25 pm**

I dropped into Penfolds Magill Estate yesterday, renovations are still ongoing, the new entrance is in the process of being completed as is the new cellar door facility, there's a new footpath alongside the driveway (with lighting to be installed) and also some new garden boxes outside the Grange cottage.

The grapes I saw look to be in very good shape this year, I noticed a little shrivel in some bunches but there's still a good canopy for protection from the next couple of days expected heat (39C Saturday, 32C Sunday) - not a big vintage, but there wasn't much bunch thinning and it should be a much bigger harvest than last year. I was told this Monday 9th February is the expected date for picking.

Cheers,
Ian

Posted: **Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:51 pm**

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-05/b ... ge/6072074

I've been riding past the new penfolds entrance quite regularly on the deadly treadly and I've noticed it seems to
be progressing nicely.

Posted: **Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:06 am**

Pressed some Gundagai Sangiovese for Rose last night. 12.3 Baume so with the weather forecast, it's likely to come off from next week.

Fruit is looking great BTW

Posted: **Mon Feb 09, 2015 5:32 pm**

Barossa Valley winemakers short of grapes due to frost
By Lauren Waldhuter
ABC Rural

Updated about 4 hours ago

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-06/b ... st/6073938

Some winemakers in the famed Barossa Valley wine region of South Australia say they may have to source grapes from other regions due to a shiraz shortage.

Peter Lehmann wines viticulturist Nigel Blieschke said late frost in October affected vines throughout the Barossa near Adelaide and the Clare Valley.

"[In total] we crush nearly 10,000 tonnes and we've probably lost about 1,500 tonnes, which is probably about 60 per cent of our shiraz production," he said.

"I think we'll be able to cover some of that with extra purchases, but there's not going to be a lot of excess stock anywhere, I think, in the Barossa."

St Hallet wine viticulturist Chris Rogers said the scale of the damage would be known in coming weeks.

"Usually that first week of harvest of any variety is a pretty good indicator of what's to come," he said.

"We know the frosted areas are going to be very light, but the majority is unfrosted."

SA Wine Industry Association chief executive Brian Smedley said frost events such as those experienced in the Barossa tended to happen in "pockets" and was not universal across the region's vineyards.

"They will probably start to see some of the impacts of that once they get into harvest," he said.

He said a "fairly mild" late January delayed vintage a little but hot weather forecast for SA in the coming days would bring things forward, while vintage had already started in warmer inland areas of the state.

Mr Smedley said the quality of SA's grapes this year were looking good with no real issues of concern.

"We're expecting another regular vintage," he said.

Posted: **Mon Feb 09, 2015 5:34 pm**

Winemakers predict 'exceptional' Margaret River vintage on the back of lower volumes
By Hayley Roman
ABC Rural
Posted Sat at 10:10am

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-07/m ... al/6075600

Winemakers from Western Australia's Margaret River region are predicting an exceptional 2015 vintage on the back of lower volumes.

Harvesting began for a number of chardonnay crops last week with table wines and sparkling wines also starting to be picked.

AHA Viticulture's Colin Bell said early indications were that crop volumes would be "slightly" below average.

"Certainly for growers, they like to get their target yields but for the quality of wine, it's probably going to be an exceptional vintage on the back of it," he said.

Mr Bell said cooler and windier conditions in November were possibly to blame for lower yields, as they would have affected flowering.

Winemaker Bruce Dukes has begun picking grapes in the Margaret River sub-region of Wilyabrup.

He said it was difficult to estimate the drop in volume at this early stage but believed yields could be 15 to 20 per cent lower than normal.

"We've got lovely composition of fruit and flavours for winemaking [which] is the benefit of some low crop fields," Mr Dukes said.

"Of course everyone growing grapes wishes that crop loads could've been a fraction higher."

He believed this year's grapes would make some "truly lovely" wines.

"For the chardonnay wines that we're seeing at the moment, the quality of the juice [and] the fruit is up there with the best I've ever seen so we're very optimistic," Mr Dukes said.

He said his vintage began early, as lower crop loads meant the fruit ripened faster than normal.

Mr Bell agreed harvest seemed slightly early.

"It's not often we pick grapes in January even though it [was] the last few days," he said.

"The last eight years have been quite warm but I do feel like this is almost an early start."

As for how long wine lovers have to wait until their first drop of 2015, Mr Bell said it was a matter of months.

"The earliest releases are generally the Bordeaux whites ... normally they coincide with a spring release," he said.

Mr Dukes said there could be some indications sooner.

"Usually by mid-winter we'll have a very good idea of the personality of the wines," he said.

The Margaret River region has a long vintage with cabernet being harvested up to mid-to-late-April.

Posted: **Mon Feb 09, 2015 5:35 pm**

Winemaker in West Australia's south-west begins earliest harvest on record
WA Country Hour
ABC Rural
By Bridget Fitzgerald
Posted about 2 hours ago

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-09/2 ... wa/6079878

Harvest has begun in vineyards across Western Australia's Margaret River and Geographe regions, with one winemaker saying it is the earliest he has ever picked fruit.

According to growers, grape yields are looking slightly below average this year, but quality is looking high.

Colin Bell, from AHA Viticulture, said many were expecting an "exceptional" 2015 vintage for the Margaret River region.

Harvest began last week for many wineries in the state's south-west, with many growers reporting an early start.

Willow Bridge Estate chief winemaker Simon Burnell said a burst of unseasonably warm weather last August set the fruit on track for an early pick.

Willow Bridge is located in the Ferguson Valley, in the Geographe region.

"The sixth of February is certainly the earliest we've ever started crushing fruit at Willow Bridge Estate," Mr Burnell said.

"Our first pick of fruit from our own vineyard is coming in next week, which will definitely be the earliest off our own vineyard ever as well."

Mr Burnell said his and surrounding wineries were picking about seven to 10 days earlier than normal.

But he said other wineries around the area were up to three weeks early in picking some wine grape varieties.

"We had quite a cool spring and we thought that the vines had slowed down," he said.

"But this last two weeks of quite hot weather [...] has brought everything earlier again."

And a bit further south, in the Margaret River region, contract winemaker Bruce Dukes said grapes were a bit more sparse on the vine, but that was creating a high quality fruit.

Mr Dukes, from Naturaliste Vintners in Margaret River, said he too had started crushing fruit earlier than normal.

"Some of the varieties, particularly chardonnay, had lower crop loads than normal, yet still with normal healthy canopies," he said.

"So that's meant the fruit's ripened a little earlier."

Mr Dukes said he was "very excited" about this year's vintage.

He said the low crop loads had corresponded with "intensely flavoured" juices and compositions.

Posted: **Tue Feb 10, 2015 2:56 pm**

Was chatting to a SA grower, and suggests the lower than usual temperatures are causing the maturation to be delayed. He's in McLaren Flat, I think, so it might not be indicative of the rest. He thinks there's going to be a much smaller yield than in previous years and is not yet sure of the quality.

Posted: **Fri Feb 27, 2015 1:50 pm**

Early grape ripening forces bottleneck supply at Barossa wineries
ABC Rural
By Lauren Waldhuter
27th February 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-27/b ... s_adelaide

Wine grapes in South Australia's Barossa Valley are left hanging on vines because of a bottleneck at wineries, as a supply shortage pushes up prices.

A rapid ripening period over the last few weeks, driven in part by hot weather after little spring rainfall, caused many varieties to ripen at the same time.

Grape grower Anthony Scholz, who runs a 73-hectare shiraz vineyard at Ebenezer, said it had been a frustrating season.

"We're certainly finding some challenges this year in getting fruit booked and into the wineries," he said.

"It seems like the whole valley has ripened all at the same time."

Mr Scholz said he was 50 per cent of the way through vintage, but could have finished picking if it was not for the hold-up, making 2015 one of his earliest vintages in memory.

Wineries are also feeling the pressure.

Chief winemaker at Grant Burge Wines, Craig Stansborough, said this year had definitely highlighted some issues.

"With more shiraz and more red going into the ground in the Barossa, I think we're going to experience this in the future," he said.

"Maybe some more infrastructure is required to solve that issue.

Not enough grapes

While the grapes have all been ready at once, there have not been enough to go around.

Severe frost in pockets of the valley late last year reduced crops for the third year in a row. Red varieties, particularly the Barossa Valley's iconic shiraz, are in short supply.

But Mr Scholz said that meant prices were going up.

"If growers are prepared to sit and wait for their price, and their price is realistic, wineries are prepared to pay," he said.

"I guess things are swinging a little bit in our favour this year."

This year, growers are fetching a base price of around $1,800 to $2,000 a tonne for red varieties, especially shiraz.

But some premium grape growers are getting as much as $4,000 a tonne, which in some cases is an increase of up to 90 per cent on last year.

Eye on the Barossa

Late last year, Grant Burge Wines was acquired by one of Australia's big industry players, Accolade Wines, just months after another iconic Barossa label, Peter Lehman Wines, was bought by Casella Wines.

These deals were struck with plans to grow production and the presence of these labels on the global stage, but that meant more competition for the now seemingly lucrative Barossa crop.

"Hence the price has gone up," said wine maker Craig Stansborough.

"You've also got BVE, which has been bought by Delegates, a New Zealand vompany, ramping up their production as well.

"We realise it's a good position to be in when wineries make money and growers make money - that's the ideal scenario."

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2015 10:00 am**

Early wine vintage creates production problems for South Australian grape growers
By Tim Jeanes
abc.news
11 March 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-11/e ... atenews_sa

An exceptionally early vintage is creating production difficulties for wineries and added pressure for grape growers in South Australia.

On average, this year's vintage was about a month earlier than normal due to a combination of local seasonal factors and climate change, SA's Winegrape Council executive officer Peter Hackworth said.

"What it's meant is a lot of the varieties that normally would ripen distinctively apart have tended to come in at the same time," Mr Hackworth said.

"Areas such as the warmer inland areas are ripening at the same time as the cool climate areas, so everything is tending to come in at once. It puts a lot of pressure on winery infrastructure."

Mr Hackworth said the early vintage was putting added pressure on grape growers as they were having to readjust to a much tighter picking schedule.

"It's extremely difficult for growers - that can create problems because the grapes will ripen and get to an optimum quality," he said.

"But if they can't get into the winery, the sugar levels increase and the wine goes beyond its optimum and starts to decline.

"So that has big implications in terms of pricing for grapes too."

But the short, early vintage was not proving a problem for everyone.

Clare Valley winemaker Peter Barry said it was the first time his company had harvested riesling, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon at the same time.

"It's the earliest vintage to finish harvesting," Mr Barry said.

"My mother, who's seen 55 vintages, has never seen this before - and we're very happy with the wines."

The early vintage had another advantage for grape growers.

Mr Barry said for the first time, he would not be working over Easter.

"Quite often we're still harvesting on Anzac Day," he said.

"[In] 1986 we were still picking grapes on the 15th of May. [This year] we can go on holidays for Easter."

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2015 11:22 am**

On average, this year's vintage was about a month earlier than normal due to a combination of local seasonal factors and climate change, SA's Winegrape Council executive officer Peter Hackworth said.

When will we return to accepting that Australia has a very variable climate. I'll bet there were difficult vintages during the the hot dry spells of the 1890's. Anyone got some vintage reports from then?

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2015 11:54 am**

Ian, what does this all mean?
I think you have a good understanding of this...much better than myself.

I get it when it rains and there is not enough, ripeness, sugar intensity, berry split, mould, and the fruit is largely stripped and green wines result...ala 2011 when many SA wines should never have been made!
However, being an Adelaide local, we had a few days of 40+, just 0.4 mm of rain in February and to date less than 1 mm for March.

Does this infer a 'middle of the road' vintage, despite it finishing 4-6 weeks earlier in some areas.

Appreciate your thoughts
Cheers
Craig

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:21 pm**

Craig,
Brother up in the hills didn't pick any chardonnay for BdB as late warmth caused baume levels to rise too quickly at the end. Chardonnay for still wine was fine though. Think pinot and shiraz fine as well, although yields down a little. Think it will be ok, maybe not a stunner.
cheers
Malcolm

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2015 4:35 pm**

Blue Poles report, which I have found to be honest to a tee in the past proposes another excellent vintage over West in Margaret River (cause they need another brilliant vintage right?)

Grapes not all in yet, but signs all very positive.

Posted: **Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:32 pm**

phillisc wrote:Ian, what does this all mean?
I think you have a good understanding of this...much better than myself.

I get it when it rains and there is not enough, ripeness, sugar intensity, berry split, mould, and the fruit is largely stripped and green wines result...ala 2011 when many SA wines should never have been made!
However, being an Adelaide local, we had a few days of 40+, just 0.4 mm of rain in February and to date less than 1 mm for March.

Does this infer a 'middle of the road' vintage, despite it finishing 4-6 weeks earlier in some areas.

Appreciate your thoughts
Cheers
Craig

The way the vintage has been so condensed with all SA areas seemingly coming in at once it reminds me of the same thing happening during 2005, a small volume vintage that is coincidentally widely regarded as somewhere around the middle of the road.

Despite the cool conditions in SA 2015 is effectively another drought vintage, with bugger all in the way of decent rain after winter. On the plus side there is no huge outbreak of disease, rot, fruit burning, berry splitting, etc, but I still feel in many cases picking seems to be just way too early for my liking. Just going by the weather during the season I would have predicted low(er) alcohol reds, pretty wines that are accessible relatively early on, but not a lot in the way of huge blockbusters. The Winemakers I have heard from seem to be very happy with what they have picked, so it will be interesting to see it pans out from here.

Cheers,
Ian

Posted: **Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:49 am**

Cactus wrote:On average, this year's vintage was about a month earlier than normal due to a combination of local seasonal factors and climate change, SA's Winegrape Council executive officer Peter Hackworth said.
When will we return to accepting that Australia has a very variable climate. I'll bet there were difficult vintages during the the hot dry spells of the 1890's. Anyone got some vintage reports from then?

I think everybody accepts that Australia has a wide variability in climate. I also think that the jury is in, the appeal has been heard and the case has gone to the high court about climate change. It is real, the science is good, it is in line with the models predicted and is accepted widely throughout the wine industry as fact. We started harvest two weeks earlier than ever before this year. We werent around in the 1890's Federation drought, but we were 50 + years ago. If you would like to read the report commissioned for the wine industry I would be happy to lend it to you. PM me if you are interested.

Posted: **Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:31 am**

mjs wrote:Craig,
Brother up in the hills didn't pick any chardonnay for BdB as late warmth caused baume levels to rise too quickly at the end. Chardonnay for still wine was fine though. Think pinot and shiraz fine as well, although yields down a little. Think it will be ok, maybe not a stunner.
cheers
Malcolm

Just confirmed, pinot and shiraz now both picked. overall about three weeks earlier than "average". Very little rain as Ian says, so has probably had a little irrigation. Shiraz yield down, pinot and chardonnay ok. quality good. We will see.

Posted: **Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:33 am**

via collins wrote:Blue Poles report, which I have found to be honest to a tee in the past proposes another excellent vintage over West in Margaret River (cause they need another brilliant vintage right?)

Posted: **Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:22 am**

I don't think I have anywhere near enough WA wine in the cellar.

Posted: **Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:44 am**

marsalla wrote:
Cactus wrote:On average, this year's vintage was about a month earlier than normal due to a combination of local seasonal factors and climate change, SA's Winegrape Council executive officer Peter Hackworth said.
When will we return to accepting that Australia has a very variable climate. I'll bet there were difficult vintages during the the hot dry spells of the 1890's. Anyone got some vintage reports from then?

I think everybody accepts that Australia has a wide variability in climate. I also think that the jury is in, the appeal has been heard and the case has gone to the high court about climate change. It is real, the science is good, it is in line with the models predicted and is accepted widely throughout the wine industry as fact. We started harvest two weeks earlier than ever before this year. We werent around in the 1890's Federation drought, but we were 50 + years ago. If you would like to read the report commissioned for the wine industry I would be happy to lend it to you. PM me if you are interested.

I respectfully disagree. I have a keen interest in this area, have looked at the evidence (or lack thereof) and come to a different conclusion. So over time I have changed my mind to become sceptical here that man is having the impact claimed. However, naturally, I have an open mind on this issue so would be really keen to look at the wine industry stuff on this subject matter as I havent looked at it from their viewpoint.

Will PM. Cheers

Posted: **Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:45 am**

And sorry - I dont mean to hijack this thread. Apologies. Lets just return to vintage report stuff.

Posted: **Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:46 pm**

That's about the calmest discussion on matters climate change that I have ever come across - well done all!

If possible, may I also see the data? I'm largely convinced that man-made climate change is having an impact, but I won't yell at those that disagree either. I've found wine-makers who go both ways, but that's only a handful. Would love to see a larger group of data if from that community.

Posted: **Thu Mar 19, 2015 3:54 pm**

drinkster.com
17 March 2015
2015 VINTAGE REPORT: EARLY AND QUICK
by Philip White

http://drinkster.blogspot.com/2015/03/2 ... quick.html

Posted: **Thu Mar 19, 2015 11:43 pm**

Chatted to a few Canberran wine makers yesterday. Basic gist is that it's been a bloody fantastic vintage for reds. Hurrah!

Cheers, Travis.

Posted: **Fri Mar 20, 2015 9:17 am**

I spoke to a grower from Robe who said his reds were at 13.5% baume, should start picking in the next 2 weeks. Looks like a more normal season down there

Posted: **Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:05 pm**

Today's Majella newsletter says things are pretty average regarding picking times for them.

Posted: **Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:00 pm**

TravisW wrote:Chatted to a few Canberran wine makers yesterday. Basic gist is that it's been a bloody fantastic vintage for reds. Hurrah!

Cheers, Travis.

Record crush of shiraz at Four Winds yesterday excellent quality and quantity. 12.8 baume

Posted: **Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:04 pm**

Michael McNally wrote:Today's Majella newsletter says things are pretty average regarding picking times for them.

Got the newsletter today - just started picking Shiraz this week, expect to start the Cabernet next week, quality sounds good. Riesling was in last week.

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