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2011 vintage report for Pericoota (New South Wales)

Supplied by Michael Gray, president, Pericoota Wine Region
Growing season: The 2010-11 growing season was challenging. High summer rainfall meant growers were faced with very high disease pressure for downy mildew and, later in the season, botrytis. Mild temperatures meant ripening was slow, which in many cases saw an excellent expression of varietal flavours as well as lower alcohol wines being produced. This vintage was a mixed bag, depending on the amount of botrytis in each block, with wines ranging from outstanding to sound. Despite the challenges, all the fruit grown in the region was harvested and was suitable for table wine.
Vintage: Vintage was three weeks later compared with recent vintages in Perricoota. Growers commenced harvesting early in March and weren’t completed until the end of April.
Yields and quality: Perricoota produced an average tonnage for the 2011 vintage of approximately 5000t. However, this was extremely variable, with some blocks being very light, typically where downy mildew had been an issue, while others had above average yields due to large bunches caused by the high rainfall. Early ripeners, such as Semillon, Chardonnay and Merlot, were of very good quality and had no disease issues. Botrytis was an issue in later-ripening varieties, such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, in some blocks. However, the lower-yielding blocks in these varieties were also of excellent quality.