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2009 vintage report for Adelaide Hills (South Australia)

Contributed by Denise Manson
executive officer, Adelaide Hills Wine Region.

Growing season: The 2008-09 season started with budburst 10-14 days later than 2007-08. Soil moisture levels were good with better winter rains than the previous two years. Warm, dry conditions in September and October with adequate soil water levels resulted in strong spring growth. This increased temperature and growth rate resulting in flowering at or near similar times to 2008. Flowering was not as rapid as previous years due to lower December temperatures. These lower temperatures and rainfall near the end of flowering resulted in poor fruitset in red varieties, particularly Pinot Noir.

An extreme heatwave occurred in late January to early February. This heat required careful irrigation management and stretched irrigation systems. Berry damage was minimal as the majority of vineyards had not started veraison during the heatwave which meant the berries were more resilient to heat and water stress than post-veraison berries. Pest and disease levels were low. The vast majority of blocks remained free from disease. There were minor reports of powdery mildew infections in a very small number of blocks. There have been no reports of downy mildew infection despite heavy rainfall in December. There were very few and isolated frost events in the Adelaide Hills, with just a minor frost event in December, and no major losses. Minor late season rainfall events were conducive to botrytis development, however, the majority of blocks delivered clean fruit to the wineries.

Quality of the vintage was high with optimal ripening conditions of cool nights throughout February and March. Effective water management during the heatwave ensured vines had healthy canopies to ripen the fruit and the favourable weather during ripening produced grapes with good acid balance at maturity.

Vintage: Harvest began in mid-February of Pinot Noir for sparkling wines with the peak harvest period of Sauvignon Blanc intake occurring mid-March. Harvest of later-ripening red varieties began in late March and was completed by mid-late April. Lower temperatures than 2008 resulted in a much slower ripening period and allowed wineries to harvest blocks at optimal maturity. The timing and duration of harvest was later and more prolonged than the previous two years and more similar to 2005-06.

Yields and quality: Yields of white varieties (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris) were good and similar to previous years. Yields of red varieties were lower, particularly Pinot Noir which was greatly affected by poor weather conditions at fruitset resulting in small berries. Yield reductions of 30-50% were common in Pinot Noir with a 10-20% reduction in yield for other red varieties. Overall, yield in 2009 for the Adelaide Hills would be expected to be approximately 20% lower than 2008.

Warm days and cool nights have produced classic cool-climate wines with more herbaceous Sauvignon Blancs and more citrus characters in Chardonnay. Cooler ripening conditions have produced pure fruit characters with elements of spice and elegant tannins in red varieties such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The smaller berries in Pinot Noir together with cooler ripening temperatures have produced wines with more colour and concentration than other years.