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2012 vintage report for Riverina (New South Wales)

Region-wide flooding in the early March destroyed the hopes of many growers for a promising vintage in the Riverina, in NSW.
While mild temperatures at the start of the season allowed for the development of good quality fruit, the flooding meant up to 30% of the vintage was lost.
Riverina Wine Grapes Marketing Board industry development officer Kristy Bartrop said vineyards across the region, most notably in Yenda and along Mirrool Creek, suffered damage with up to a metre of water sitting in their blocks for up to three weeks.
“With Yenda-based wineries Casella Wines, Berton Vineyards and Terrell Estate inaccessible, growers who could gain access to their properties had the compounding issue of finding a place to have the fruit crushed before the imminent disease threat took hold,” Bartrop said.
“Recovery was slow – properties are drying out but are beyond harvestable for any purpose. Now it’s just a process now of figuring out the best way forward.”
Yields were variable, with about 3000 more tonnes of Pinot Gris picked this season compared with 2011. All red varieties, particularly Shiraz, were down as a result of the floods in the midst of the red harvest. Final figures on the reduction in total tonnes crushed were not available at the time Grapegrower & Winemaker went to print, but estimates were that the loss could be up to 30,000t.
For the fourth year in a row, prices fell below the cost of production for many contracted growers, but Bartrop says some growers took the opportunity to seek a new buyer for their fruit.
“This proved a good option as spot market fruit was, at times, attracting a better price than the contract price,” she said.

Source: Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker May 2012