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1998 vintage report for Diamond Valley (Victoria)

‘A season to remember,’ said William Christophersen, secretary of the Diamond Valley Viticultural Association. ‘With low tonnages, quality was the highest for some years and the smaller quantity of resultant wines should be at premium level.’ William said that the area suffered frost problems in the spring. Temperatures down to -4 ° after early variety budburst caused damage to spurs and in some cases severely reduced crop levels. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were the worst affected. The vines recovered and small crops were carried on watershoots and buds protected from the frost by wood above them. David Lance from Diamond Valley Vineyards reported that the 10 March start to the vintage was early but picking did not end until 28 April making it an ‘extraordinarily long and tiring vintage.’ Vineyards located above the frost levels produced better cropping rates (7.5-9.6 tonnes/ha). Frosted vineyards produced Pinot Noir in the range of 0.75-4 tonnes/ha. Because of low rainfall, water shortages were experienced by a number of growers. The absence of fungal diseases was a strong feature of the season.