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2001 vintage report for Gold Coast

Alison Shaw, spokesperson for the Gold Coast Hinterland Wine Country, supplied the following report from this new area: The Gold Coast hinterland is a diverse wine growing region, situated a half hour from the Gold Coast and an hour from Brisbane. This is the fastest growing wine region in Queensland, and has seen substantial capital and plantings in the past three years. It covers the cooler climate microclimates of Mt Tamborine, whose area is cooler than that of the Hunter Valley, through to the milder climates of the Albert River and Canungra. Currently seven wineries operate in the area, with the focus on producing premium boutique wines and wine tourism. There is a wide diversity of grape varieties grown in the region, with plantings of Verdelho, Chambourcin and Semillon, through to Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Chardonnay. There are also large differences in soil types between the wineries; from the volcanic soils of Mt Tamborine, through to the alluvial at Canungra and the deep river loam at Albert River. One common element is that each property has good drainage, allowing quality grapes to be grown in areas where vineyards have not traditionally been planted. The 2001 vintage was a difficult one. Frosts came just before budburst with no damage. A warm growing season with minimal rain followed. However, rain and storms in February delayed harvest in several of the vineyards. The milder regions of Canungra and Albert River did best, producing good crops.