Did you know that you can convert SENTEK diviner probes into a continuous soil moisture monitoring system? Ask us how. Joe Siebert is our specialist in this service - and you can contact him through our page.
2019 McLaren Vale Wine Vintage Report /
The McLaren Vale wine region relied on its advantage, natural and constructed, to have a successful vintage for 2019. Specifically, proximity to the moderating temperature influence of the Gulf St Vincent, reliable spring rainfall, and access to multiple irrigation sources and helped vineyards cope with a challenging dry and hot season.
The growing season rainfall from October to the end of March was 142mm, compared to the average of 172mm, the deficit in rain occurring during summer. The dry conditions posed significant challenges for local grape growers. A lack of summer rain meant the irrigation was important to make up for the shortfall. Using timely irrigation, firstly to develop a canopy large enough to sustain vineyard crops, then maintain the health of vines until harvest was vital.
Disease pressure (governed by rainfall, humidity and temperature) was very low for this vintage compared to the 2017 Vintage, our last season with above average rainfall, and other seasons with serious issues (1993 – downy mildew, 2011 - botrytis).
There were two specific extreme weather events that did significantly alter vineyard development and ripening. Firstly, there was an intense hail storm in late November. The storm saw high speed winds buffet vines and hail fell leaving scars on some fruit. Then in late January we experienced our hottest daytime temperature since January 2009, 45oC, plus several days in late February where the temperatures were about 38oC.
What was fruit like at harvest? Good, but there wasn’t as much of it as we’d like. At harvest vineyards in the McLaren Vale wine region generally had lower yields of fruit with more intense flavour. Vines had more open bunches, which weighed less than average.
The collective "we", the McLaren Vale grape and wine community, live and breathe our “big three” red varieties (Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon). Shiraz accounts for approximately 60% of our harvested tonnage. Cabernet Sauvignon is 19% and Grenache is 5%. Shiraz yields were significantly down, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache held better. For the second season in a row, our late season varieties (Mourvèdre, Montepulicano and Nero d’Avalo) held well until they were picked in late March.
Grape picking took just over 4 weeks to complete starting at full pace in the first week of March and ending at the end of the month. The report from winemakers on wine quality has been good, and winemaking was made easier by lower tonnages allowing for close attention the winery. Winemakers could use extended ferments if they required as there was little pressure to turn fruit into wineries compared to bumper years.
The combination of hail in November, a dry summer and hot weather in January and February is expected to reduce the overall size of our harvest compared to recent years. Crop yields expected to be 25% down on Vintage 2018, which in turn was 20% down on Vintage 2017 which was our last bumper crop.
National sustainability programme announced /
A single national sustainability program, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, was announced today. Sustainable Winegrowing Australia will formally commence on 1 July 2019. This announcement expands our locally developed SAW system and joins it with ENTWINE to form a national one.
2012 SAW release at the McLaren Vale Bocce Club.
The Wine Idealists 2015 article gives an overview of McLaren Vale’s role in pushing for a national sustainability programme: https://thewineidealist.com/2015/03/27/total-sustainability-saw-mclaren-vale/
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia will be managed day to day by the AWRI, overseen by a steering committee comprising representatives of Australian Grape & Wine, Wine Australia and the AWRI, and advised by an industry advisory group made up of program users, regional representatives and other key stakeholders.
DJ’s founders Derek and James welcome the new programme and look forward to helping growers nationally improve their vineyards.
Dry conditions in Autumn likely to affect the 2020 grape vintage /
What does a dry post harvest mean for grapevines?
Continued photosynthesis and nutrient uptake during the post-harvest period allow vines to store carbohydrate and nutrient reserves for use in the next season.
Recommended practice is to apply irrigation at the end of the season to avoid entering vine dormancy with a dry soil profile.
What if dry conditions continue into winter?
Recommended practice is to bring the main part of the rootzone back into the readily available water range in late winter, or several weeks before bud-break, may
also suffice and will also assist in leaching applied salts from the rootzone. Vines that reach bud-break with a dry soil profile can have uneven and reduced shoot growth, possibly as a result of a decline in root function.
Also dry soils through bud-break appear to have a greater effect on canopy growth than yield.
Want to know more?
E-L Growth Stage Guide /
Revised version of “Grapevine growth stages – The modified E-L system” Viticulture 1 – Resources. 2nd edition 2004. Eds. Dry, P. and Coombe, B. (Winetitles)
Virus Testing Results /
DJ's have just completed a round of virus testing for one of our clients investigating poor vineyard performance.
Taking a virus test before top-working is a recommended procedure because of the effects viruses can have on the grafting process.
At the date of virus sampling the vineyards tested positive to:
LR4-9: Leaf Roll associated Virus types.
GVA: Grapevine Vitivirus A.
This virus has been associated with Kober Stem Grooving and Corky Bark diseases. These diseases are responsible for graft incompatibility, delayed budburst, severe decline, and even death of vines. GVA is generally transmitted by grafting; not transmitted by contact between plants. GVA is commonly seen with pits and grooves around the grafting union.
Unfortunately as this vineyard has tested positive to GVA virus and is considered not suitable for top working.
Please follow this link to the Virus Atlas for more pictures and grapevine virus information - http://ucanr.org/sites/intvit/files/24513.pdf
Did you know... Virus can spread from the roots of old vines? /
Did you know it’s possible to transfer vine viruses to new vines when grafting or even when replanting your Vineyard?
Joe Siebert investigates…
In some cases you will see some obvious signs (like in this video) but in others, viruses won’t show symptoms prior to doing this work - so it’s essential to virus test during your planning stages. Speak to us for more information.
A field left fallow that has some vines that have survived from root fragments.
Listen to the CropWatch podcast on itunes /
Produced by Gill Gordon Smith and James Hook CropWatch provides growers in the McLaren Vale region with technical information on key viticultural issues such as pest and disease identification, risk and management.
Listen now: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/cropwatch/id1440908752?mt=2