Region shapes up for superb season

Dsc 7879  TBW Newsgroup
POSITIVE OUTLOOK: Despite a severe frost hitting Coonawarra in mid-September, viticulturist Fil Farina said the region is shaping up for a cracker 2020 vintage.

Dsc 7879 TBW Newsgroup
POSITIVE OUTLOOK: Despite a severe frost hitting Coonawarra in mid-September, viticulturist Fil Farina said the region is shaping up for a cracker 2020 vintage.

DESPITE a severe frost impacting vines across Coonawarra, Wrattonbully and Padthaway earlier in the year, the region is shaping up for a “superb” season according to viticulturist Fil Farina.

This week saw the October full moon, which traditionally indicates the end of frost season according to Mr Farina, with conditions looking favourable as the year progresses.

“On around September 17 we copped quite a bit of frost damage throughout main regions like Coonawarra,” he said.

“Basically with a bad frost, the shoot freezes and when it warms up it expands rapidly, bursts and dies.

“So to stop that people have frost fans or sprinklers going but unfortunately it cannot stop everything.

“Besides that though, we have had a pretty promising season so far.”

Mr Farina said due to drier than average conditions, vines had been less susceptible to disease, leading to the prediction of promising yields.

“Although it has been drier, there is less disease pressure from powdery mildew,” he said.

“This means the vines are healthy and vineyards are sprayed less often because there is not that pressure.

“We have had rainfall events every two weeks or so which is working out pretty well.”

With cooler days than average recently, Mr Farina said this has also had an impact on the upcoming season, but had been of little concern.

“Things are a little bit behind where it would (normally) be due to the cooler days,” he said.

“Last year around this time we had days up to 30˚C, but we are yet to see that.

“Despite that, the vines are looking superb and the season is looking great.”

Vineyards will start bunch counting in the not so distant future according to Mr Farina, which will give a better indication of yield numbers.

Mr Farina said if the conditions stay favourable, the yield should be on or above average.

“Last season yields were down, but quality was excellent,” he said.

“If it stays the way it is, we should have a cracking season with high quality and fairly good yields.”

With redevelopment happening across Coonawarra, Mr Farina said the region’s wine is in high demand.

“There is a lot of replanting and redevelopment happening at the moment,” he said.

“We are seeing a lot of the big businesses investing in redevelopment as well as some of the little guys.

“They have been here for a long time anyway but I think that really cements their confidence in the industry.

“We are seeing a similar height to the mid-nineties, so things are going very strong.”