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2011 vintage report for Barossa Valley (South Australia)

Supplied by Elise Heyes, viticultural development officer, Barossa Grape & Wine Association Inc.
Growing season: The cooler-than-average temperatures during September and October delayed the onset of budburst until late October for most parts of the Barossa Valley, and some two weeks later in Eden Valley. Moist soil profiles from spring rainfall encouraged early healthy shoot growth. Scattered rainfall and cool conditions during November meant the period of shoot development was prolonged and flowering of the vines did not occur until later in the month. For Eden Valley reds, particularly Cabernet, flowering was not until early December. Most varieties produced even set of berries, generally small bunch sizes and, overall, there were well-balanced vines.
There was five times more than the average rainfall in December, with totals exceeding more than 130mm across the Barossa. This resulted in larger-than-normal canopies in vineyards, warranting regular trimming and hedging to encourage sunlight penetration on bunches, and increased airflow to reduce disease risk.
Berry development was delayed, and by Christmas most varieties on the Barossa Valley floor showed pea-sized berries. It was not until mid-to-late January that white berries started to soften and early maturing reds started to colour. A few warm days towards the end of January sped up ripening and all varieties were well into veraison. This process was some one to two weeks later in Eden Valley.
Vintage: The western and southern parts of the Valley tended to ripen quicker than the central region of the Barossa. Small parcels of fruit were picked in February but the bulk of harvest commenced in March.
Continued mild temperatures in March (the average maximum was 225ºC, 3.2ºC lower than the long-term average) led to even ripening and good flavour development in vineyards across the region. Varietal expression was predominant, particularly in Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. A heavy rain event occurred on 20 March with the northern parts of the Valley experiencing more than 100mm in just two hours. This posed potential rot problems in some Shiraz vineyards. Fortunately, the rain was an isolated issue, with other parts only receiving 5mm; and a large proportion of the fruit picked across the region thereafter was exceptional quality. The last fruit in the region was picked just after Easter in Eden Valley.
Yields and quality: Crop levels across all varieties were average to high, however, selective harvesting of clean fruit impacted the potential of an even larger regional crush. The cooler conditions meant that grapes retained high natural acids and flavours had extended time to develop to produce some encouraging results. Many Barossa winemakers are reflecting on white wines that are particularly strong with lifted aromatics and freshness, and red wines that are showing strong colours and intense flavours, but with slightly lower alcohols than would normally be expected.