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2009 vintage report for Langhorne Creek (South Australia)

Contributed by Lian Jaensch, executive officer, Langhorne Creek Wine Industry Council

Growing season: The heat in late January/early February caused a brief scare with shades of the 2008 heatwave with some fruit damage and crop loss, however, being earlier in the season was in many ways a blessing compared with the onslaught the previous year. Following the heat, Langhorne Creek experienced a season somewhat reminiscent of the past: well paced with excellent conditions for ripening resulting in good flavour development and intensity. Given the prolonged restrictive water conditions in the district over several years now, growers managed their vines well through the heat with many showing a remarkable capacity to limit the damage to foliage and fruit and a good level of recovery given the resources at hand.

Vintage: Fruit for sparkling base kicked off vintage 2009 at the end of January. Vintage at Langhorne Creek was all but over in the week before Easter.

Yields and quality: White varieties fared well this year with good crop levels, sound flavour development and sugar levels. In general, yields for red varieties were markedly down across the region, particularly in blocks with lighter soil. Some fine Malbec and Grenache and wonderfully intense peppery parcels of Shiraz resulted from the 2009 vintage. It is widely considered that Cabernet Sauvignon performed remarkably well across the district with receipt of some outstanding quality reports and certainly some cause for excitement amongst winemakers.

The estimated total yield for the Langhorne Creek wine region is approximately 45-47,000t. The initial regional average yield estimates for the region’s major varieties, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, are 7.5t/ha and 9t/ha, respectively.

Overall, the 2009 Langhorne Creek winegrape harvest has been one of low yields but good quality and we look forward to the product of yet another eventful vintage.