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1999 vintage report for Riverland (South Australia)

In the Riverland, significant crop increases in premium varieties as a result of new planting coming into bearing offset average to below average yields in established vineyards. Overall there was a 15-20% increase on 1998. Bill Moularadellis, president of the Riverland Winemakers Association, said heavy rain just prior to the start and during the early part of vintage caused some losses to some vineyards, particularly those that were overcropped. There were some outbreaks of downy mildew which caused leaf loss, together with botrytis on vineyards where appropriate preventive management practices had not been carried out. ‘Generally the best vineyards performed well,’ Bill said. ‘Only those vineyards where cropping levels were too high and those where inadequate disease control measures had been put in place offered any diminution of quality.’ He said the quality of Chardonnay and whites generally exceeded expectations. ‘More abundant supply has made selection of the best parcels of fruit more effective through the rejection of lower quality fruit.’ Reds were ‘generally good,’ with the early ripening, lower cropping vineyards exhibiting ‘rich, heavy structured wines.’ Over-cropped vineyards again lacked intensity and flavour. Bill said significant and compounding increases in regional grape production is continuing to place extraordinary pressure on winery infrastructure. ‘Large investments at all wineries has taken place but processing and storage capacity will continue to remain tight for the next few years. Support industries are now beginning to respond to the increases in demand placed by the growth in the industry.’