Supplied by Mark McKenzie, chief executive, Murray Valley Winegrowers Growing season: Vintage 2011 proved the most difficult vintage in the Murray Valley in living memory even more difficult than the memorably wet 1973-74 vintage season. The 2011 vintage was characterised by cool conditions, heavy rainfall, and rampant fungal disease infections that saw losses of […]
Supplied by Kim Tyrer, operations manager/owner, Galafrey Wines; president, Mount Barker Wine Producers Association Inc. Growing season: Its been such a weird year with all the disasters in the eastern states. All the states vineyard stocks of sulfur, copper and fungicides were shipped east, so in the west we were left short. With January characterised […]
Supplied by Peter Dixon, secretary, Henty Wine Region Association Growing season: Growers reported a challenging season with late flowering, high summer rainfall and cooler summer and autumn conditions. Bigger canopies and wetter conditions resulted in higher disease pressure with growers undertaking summer trimming, bunch thinning and leaf plucking to keep canopies open. Combined with comprehensive […]
Supplied by Nick Power, chief executive, Margaret River Wine Industry Associatio. Growing season: The 2011 vintage weather period was initially cool and dry through late winter and early spring, progressing to a warm and dry summer pattern with rainfall recorded mid-November and minor rain events in early December. Overall, this vintage was warmer and drier […]
Supplied by John Beresford, president, Goulburn Valley Wine Association Growing season: As with many regions across south-east Australia, the Goulburn Valley experienced one of the wettest growing seasons in recent memory. This, combined with periods of high relative humidity, allowed for vigorous growth facilitating the onset of mildew diseases at either end of the season. […]
Supplied by Geelong Winegrowers Association Growing season: Like the majority of Victorian winegrowing regions, Geelong faced numerous challenges in the lead up to the 2011 vintage, the result of a comparatively wild and wet season with bouts of humidity dispersed throughout. Yields and quality: Climate influences saw both a late harvest and natural attrition in […]
Supplied by Tony Hatch, president, Bathurst Regional Vignerons Association Growing season: While most vineyards escaped the spring frosts at budburst in an outstanding start to the season, the welcome early rains eventually became excessive, and well above average. Temperatures, on the other hand, were below average for the most part. Together with windy conditions, spray […]
Supplied by Alpine Valleys Vignerons, Growing season: Initial optimism with the early September flooding rains soon turned to dismay with continued rain events and cooler temperatures throughout the growing season. Many growers in the region applied a record number of sprays with diligent growers rewarded for their tenacity and meticulous attention to detail, although with […]
Supplied by Margaret Blesing, Southern Flinders Winegrape Industry Council Growing season: The growing season was shorter than in previous years. A cooler-than-average summer resulted in slower ripening. Rain mid-March, just prior to harvest, led to humid conditions causing powdery and downy mildew and botrytis, mainly in Shiraz. Rainfall was well above average for the hills […]
Supplied by Terry Strickland, president, Mount Gambier Regional Winegrowers Association Growing season: The Mount Gambier wine region experienced what the most optimistic vigneron described as interesting and challenging. A great start to the season with excellent winter rainfall and budburst soon deteriorated with a significant frost event on 25 October which caused heavy damage to […]
Supplied by Jodie Pain, viticulture coordinator, McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association Growing season: A wet and cool season resulted in disease pressures impacting to different degrees across the region. Management of powdery mildew was critical, and there was some early powdery mildew pressure on blocks that did not have the required frequency of […]
Supplied by Lian Jaensch, executive officer, Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine Inc. Growing season: The 2011 vintage – a roller coaster of highs and lows – will be remembered as one of the most climatically challenging ever experienced in Langhorne Creek. The welcome highs for the season emerged from the above average rainfall in winter […]
Supplied by Annies Lane Growing season: A very cool spring and early summer caused a slight delay in budbreak and early season growth; vines didnt really take off until late December and into January when temperatures finally reached average to above average. The cool and wet weather, especially in December, made conditions conducive to powery […]
Supplied by Elise Heyes, viticultural development officer, Barossa Grape & Wine Association Inc. Growing season: The cooler-than-average temperatures during September and October delayed the onset of budburst until late October for most parts of the Barossa Valley, and some two weeks later in Eden Valley. Moist soil profiles from spring rainfall encouraged early healthy shoot […]
Supplied by Adrian Loschiavo, Richard Hamilton and Simon Berry, Adelaide Hills Wine Region Growing season: The 2010-11 growing season created difficult conditions for disease management with rainfall well above average, resulting in record levels of growing-season rainfall not seen for several decades. This was combined with mild day-time temperatures, warmer nights, high humidity and many […]