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1998 vintage report for Pemberton (Western Australia)

Vintage started in the last week of February for sparkling wine base. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for table wine was harvested in the first week of March for warmer vineyard sites while cooler vineyards started their harvest in mid-March. Heavy rain in mid-March delayed harvest in some vineyards and also caused some fruit rot. Patrick Coutts, vice president of the Pemberton Wine Region Association and winemaker at Salitage, said yields were average and were generally above 1997 levels but not as high as in 1996. ‘Yields partly reflected crop protection,’ he said. Birds were a major pest this season with those vineyards not netting reporting significant losses, often in excess of 10%.’ Weather during the early season was excellent, with ideal growing conditions. In general later varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon ripened easily and ahead of 1997. Patrick said most of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was harvested before the rain. ‘Dilution of flavour in Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc relative to other vintages can be seen. Later varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon have come in with excellent flavour and colour. The one variety that is possibly not as intense as might be expected is Shiraz, which suffered with the rain and never really recovered.’ Patrick described the quality of reds as good to excellent for all but Shiraz, which he said was ‘fair to good.’ He said 1998 quality for whites depended on vineyard site. ‘While there are parcels of outstanding white varietals, the broader assessment would have to be good to very good quality. ‘By far the most significant problem was that of bird damage. The rain compounded fruit management difficulties but what looked like a nightmare has in reality proved to be merely a reminder that we do not control nature. Calculated risk taking and careful fruit selection has provided good clean wines,’ he said.