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2002 vintage report for King Valley (Victoria)

Budburst occurred in mid to late September in the warmer areas and early October in the cooler upper reaches of the valley. Good early spring rains resulted in a high budburst rate and even shoot growth. Above average rainfall in October caused growers to be concerned about downy mildew, but vigilant monitoring and thorough spray programs kept it at bay. Dry and mild days followed, however the region experienced unusually high winds throughout November and early December. A cool snap in early December coupled with the windy conditions resulted in poor flowering and fruitset in several blocks, causing some hen and chicken and lower yielding crops.
Mild temperatures prevailed in January and February—unlike the heatwaves experienced last season—and the vines looked very healthy. Dry conditions during this period had the desired effect of slowing and stopping shoot growth, which in turn resulted in early cane maturity.
Late February saw the first sparkling wine base, Pinot Meunier, harvested, with Pinot Noir for sparkling following close behind in early March.
Early to mid March saw dry, warm and sunny conditions with above average maximum temperatures. The cool, crisp mornings and clear skies aided colour development. Rainfall in late March resulted in a drop in Baume levels, and stalled ripening for a short period. Warm, dry conditions throughout April allowed all varieties to ripen fully.
Yields were reduced by 20–30% due to poor fruitset, smaller berries and lower bunch weights. The lower yields and smaller berries resulted in very high colours and tannins being recorded in red varieties. One winemaker recorded highest average colour scores for red varieties ever noted since such information has been kept over the past 10 years.