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2011 vintage report for Murray Valley (Victoria)

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 125,000 tonnes of fruit (not including winery-grown grapes) and the downgrading of a further 25,000t of grower-grown fruit for concentrate and distillation. A Murray Valley Winegrowers (MVW) grower survey through March and April identified that only 18.5% of growers avoided loss from fungal disease and inundation, with the remainder reporting up to 100% crop losses. MVW has estimated that lost production was valued at $40-45 million farmgate value.
The growing and harvest season were characterised by relentless rain events – commencing in mid-October and continuing regularly throughout the late growing season and harvest period. Mildura recorded its highest annual rainfall in 2010 since records started in 1894, marked by a record wet December and by the end of the vintage much of the Murray Darling region had recorded four times its average annual rainfall between September and May, including a storm cell event on 4 and 5 February in which districts south of Mildura recorded falls of up to 330mm in eight hours –more than 3500ha of vineyard was inundated following this event and many thousands more hectares were rendered inaccessible and unable to be sprayed for fungal disease control. The regular, heavy rain and sodden soils saw some vineyards flooded three or four times during the season, and effective disease control was extremely difficult. Robinvale and Swan Hill districts were not spared with storm activity also dropping heavy falls across both districts throughout the season.
Vintage: Cool and wet conditions saw the timing of harvest in the Murray Valley commence four weeks later than 2010, with Chardonnay harvest for sparkling wines commencing at the end of February. By the end of vintage in mid-May, some varieties were as much as five weeks later than in 2010, partly because of cool conditions, but also due to very slow grape sugar accumulation in the later red varieties owing to high soil moisture content and interrupted ripening.
Yields and quality: Heavy rain and plentiful soil moisture saw the development of large berries and bunches – particularly in Chardonnay and Shiraz. Base yields were estimated at 20% up on 2010, with early picked Chardonnay crops at or well above average yields. However, early downy mildew infections appeared to reduce yield potential in Gordo and Merlot in particular. Later botrytis infections affected Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Gordo, Colombard, Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot. Most varieties struggled to reach Baume targets and were harvested at lower-than-preferred Baumes to avoid total loss from botrytis. Large volumes of grapes were taken for concentrate production. Despite heavy losses, large Chardonnay crops were reported. The most affected variety was Shiraz, which recorded the heaviest losses of any variety. Winemakers reported good fruit flavours across most varieties, despite lower-than-target grape sugar levels – particularly in Chardonnay.