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2002 vintage report for Tasmania

Vintage 2002 was a year of reduced fruitset with a record, sunny dry finish. A combination of 50% normal yield, incredible clear blue skies and mild weather should create one of the great vintages. No one could have anticipated this result even as late as the end of February, because of the cold, variable start to the season.
There was a warm, very early spring followed by cool, wet extended budburst. Bunch numbers were lower but potential fruitfulness was moderate with emerging flower numbers per bunch generally high.
A warm, wet October and mild, wet November began a period of cloud that created lower maximum temperatures throughout summer. By Christmas growers were expecting a late season and were bracing for an onslaught of botrytis. Mild cloudy conditions saw a season without frost. Some hail damage was recorded in the north-east. A wet October, November and January saw development of luscious efficient canopies with reduced need for irrigation, especially on heavier soils.
The cool, cloudy spring for flower development combined with cool wet periods during flowering led to a range of expressions of poor set. Bunches at some sites had uniform small berries despite variable seed number. Bunches at other sites showed good set on a delayed flowering of the shoulders and a wide maturity range within the bunch. A third expression was hen and chicken.
Cool mid summer conditions slowed early berry development. The Bureau of Meteorology shows record cool average December daily maxima for eight sites including Launceston and Geeveston. The mild rainy January was also cool.
February was cool but much drier than January. The drying continued with heat and sun in March advancing ripening especially of the many small berries. Long still warm sunny autumn days finished the season with good conditions for flavour development. Record dry April rainfall figures were recorded at 32 sites across Tasmania. Some record high April temperatures were also noted. The season rewarded vineyards that maintained available soil moisture right up to harvest. Temperatures for colour development between 25 and 27°C were extended giving Pinot Noir exceptionally deep colour.
Despite mid season delays in development the lower yields and warm sunny conditions during March saw vintage begin on the same date as recent warm years. Sparkling base wine in the north was harvested on 13 March. Vintage essentially (except for a small area of late-picked Semillon) finished in the south with Cabernet Sauvignon in mid May.
Estimation of yield and of picking date was problematic this year with wide ranges of bunch weights, ripeness and rapid sugar accumulation from powerful canopies. Reports of accumulations of 4°Brix per week were common with one vineyard reporting 6°Brix per week. Vineyards were mostly prepared for the need to harvest fruit rapidly as sugar levels rose. The smaller volumes did not stretch winery capacity.
As far as Pinot Noir is concerned, carefully managed canopies and fruit with even ripeness will produce very dark, tense and tannic, richly flavoursome wines which will probably be the longest living Pinots in recent history. Wines from fruit of variable ripeness require adjustment in the winery but are none the less intense.
—By Duncan Farquhar of the Department of Primary Industries Water & Environment, Tasmania.