AS Coonawarra’s grape growers and winemakers start picking for this year’s vintage, the impact of last year’s devastating frost damage is being assessed and managed.
A rare black frost hit grape growers in the region in November when temperatures dropped below zero degrees.
Coonawarra Grape and Wine Incorporated president Pete Balnaves said black frost events typically only occurs once a decade.
Brand’s Laira Coonawarra winemaker Peter Weinberg said this vintage had been more of a challenge due to the frost damage.
“Frost damage has varied from one vineyard to the next, with around 20pc lost on some of Coonawarra’s vineyards,” Mr Weinberg said.
“Every vineyard has to deal with it in their own way, and this may mean not harvesting or selectively harvesting,” he said.
With 2018 being Mr Weinberg’s 20th vintage, he described them as never being the same.
“We are seeing good quality fruit on the vines, but every year is different,” Mr Weinberg said.
He said riesling and chardonnay were looking to be the top wines for this year’s vintage.
“We will see an earlier start to the vintage, but due to an unevenness in ripening it will be a waiting game for maturity levels,” Mr Weinberg said.
“We have our fingers crossed the weather stays on our side.”
Mr Weinberg said harvest is between a week and a half to two weeks away.
“It has been a great start to the season in regard to moisture – minus the frost damage that occurred,” he said.
“Hopefully there are a few more sunny days, but we want the extreme heat to stay away.”
