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1997 vintage report for Orange (New South Wales)

Yields in the Orange region were down by 10-20%, according to Terrey Johnson, president of the Orange Region Vignerons’ Association. Good growing conditions in spring 1995 led to high vigour and therefore shading affected bud initialisation. Wine and late spring frosts in the spring of 1996 affected set. Vintage started in mid-March, about normal for the region, and was completed by mid-May. Terrey reports that a long, mild and dry autumn led to ideal finishing conditions, with most crops achieving optimum ripeness. Weather during vintrage was ‘excellent,’ with mild temperatures and no rain. There was very low disease pressure, with only a little powdery mildew reported. Terrey described the quality of 1997 reds as ‘great.’ He said fully ripe, full-flavoured cool climate red wines should be the result of an ideal vintage. ‘It’s a similar picture for the whites, with a completely dry finish, following a wet, cool spring/summer,’ he said. ‘Ripe fruit with good acid balance should lead to excellent wines.’