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2002 vintage report for Murray Darling (NSW/Victoria)

‘Sensational quality, the best for many years’ is the most common description of vintage 2002 in the Murray Valley. The unusually mild conditions and continuing improvements in viticultural practices produced record tonnages and great quality.
The Murray Valley produced about 360,000 tonnes, up at least 30,000 tonnes on last year. Red varieties are expected to account for about 150,000 tonnes, with the whites, led by Chardonnay, coming in at about 210,000 tonnes.
Spring temperatures were much lower than usual, with most days in the low to mid 20s, even throughout November. The average daily maximum for November was 26.6°C compared with the usual 27.5°C. The mild conditions didn’t bring much rain; just 1 mm was recorded whereas the average for November is 22 mm. December and January average temperatures were also down on previous years. Showers in mid February and just before Easter caused some disruption to growers, but losses were minimal. Wineries had some problems in coping with a year like no other. Late ripening of Chardonnay and the early maturity of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon caused bottlenecks at wineries in March.
Yields for most varieties were up by about 10%, except for Shiraz, which dipped slightly. Demand for premium whites, particularly Chardonnay, remained strong and this was reflected in prices increasing slightly to an anticipated average of $750 to $800 per tonne. The same cannot be said of the premium reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. And despite the industry giving Merlot and Shiraz a balanced supply/demand score, these varieties also generally suffered a drop in price. The average price for the three premium reds may well show a 15% to 20% decline.
‘The most pleasing aspect of the vintage was the generally high quality,’ said Mike Stone, chief executive officer of the Victorian Murray Valley Winegrape Growers’ Council.
‘The most disappointing aspect was the fruit that remained unsold, victim of the inability of the industry to absorb the additional fruit resulting from an explosion in plantings over the past five years. This situation may well last for another two to three years, with the premium red varieties suffering the most.
‘Disease pressures this vintage mainly came from powdery mildew, particularly late in the season when processing and storage problems caused delays in harvesting. It was not uncommon for premium reds to be picked two to three weeks late and for powdery mildew infection to become apparent during that period of delay. A credit for quality, a pass for prices and a failure for the fruit that was left behind is the scorecard overall.’