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1999 vintage report for Perth Hills (Western Australia)

There should be some different wines from the Perth Hills this vintage, says the newsletter of the region’s Vignerons Association. It reports that a hallmark of the 1999 vintage will be the cooler but more humid summer experienced. After mild conditions during most of the season it warmed up towards the middle of the harvest period. This resulted in a prolonged ripening period with grapes on the vine for longer than usual, and later picking for most growers. ‘The slow but near perfect ripening conditions should give more complex and possibly more elegant wines this year,’ said Darlington Estate winemaker Casper van der Meer. Deep Dene winery reported the most prolonged harvesting remembered in the Bickley Valley, after rain put a halt to their ripening Shiraz. It was finally picked well into April. Geoffrey Lindup, president of the of the Perth Hills Vignerons Association, estimated a 25% increase in yields, due mainly to the cooler, more humid conditions and the prolonged ripening period. As well there was very little bird damage. Weather during vintage was generally fine and cooler than normal.In late October/early November warm and humid conditions resulted in the first-ever reported downy mildew in some vineyards. Incidence of powdery mildew also increased. Geoff said that early indications were that 1999 vintage quality was excellent for both reds and whites, especially Merlot and Chardonnay. He said processing capacity in the region is much lower than needed for the quantity of fruit being produced, but the situation will be helped soon with the construction of a new winery by Chittering Valley (part of the Perth Hills region) grapegrowers.