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2014 vintage report for Mornington Peninsula (Victoria)

According to Mornington Peninsula Vignerons executive offer Cheryl Lee, good winter and early spring rainfall recharged soil moisture and filled dams at the beginning of the growing season, making it difficult to get tractors into the fields.
But exceptionally cold and windy conditions in late October and early November through flowering resulted in poor fruitset in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
“Weather conditions through summer were warm and dry with a heat spike in late January causing minor damage through pockets of sunburn but mild weather through March resulted in steady ripening,” Lee said.
“This allowed for a nicely spaced harvest, assisted by the autumnal Peninsula weather.”
The early wet weather gave cause for worry about disease which never eventuated, as from early summer the weather remained relatively dry and warm with only few hot days.
Producers reported yields being down by 50 per cent or more in some cases which was the biggest downfall for Mornington Peninsula’s 2014 vintage, but according to Lee the upside was the quality of the fruit.
“Chardonnays showed good acid and intense flavour at lower sugar and alcohol levels,” she said.
“The high proportion of small berries in the Pinots has resulted in the wine showing great promise with intense colours and vibrant flavours.”
Lee said the quality of Shiraz looked excellent and some producers believed the 2014 Pinots will equal the quality of 2012 and may evolve to be even better.