Sampling the previous week did indicate that the Merlot was ripening nicely, sugars had risen well, seeds were darkening and flavours were peaking.  From a logistical perspective it makes sense for me to harvest both varieties either on the same day or on alternate days.

The harvest team really excelled in the conditions and the whole of the 9+ tonnes was brought in with a 4 x 4 motorbike and trailer.

In order to reduce any chance of green characters in the wine it is vital that leaves and petioles are removed.  You can point out to the pickers as many times as you like to keep vine leaves out, however you have to check every picking box as it comes in.

The day went well, yields were good and the word from the winery was that the analysis could not be faultered.  Beaume, pH and titrateable acid were all as you would want them and at this stage not acid adjustments were needed.  This year we are trying something a little different by allowing the crushed grapes to undergo a cold soak for 4 - 5 days prior to fermentation.  The idea behind this is that the batch will homogenise well, will commence the colour extraction process and also ensure greater fruit intensity in the final wine.

Following this it will then be up to those special little yeast babies to do their thing.  Keep you posted on the progress of the wines.

Vineman

Technorati Tags: viognier, merlot, beaume, petiole, pH

First job was to find a net machine to remove the nets, then could pickers be arranged as well as transport for bins as well as will the winery be able to process the fruit?  It all fell into place perfectly!  The weather on the day was warm to hot, another great harvest day in Margaret River. 

The Viognier harvest was a surprise with the yield being above expectation and some fantastic fruit harvested. This harvest will see the largest quantity of Viognier picked from the vineyard thus far, indicating that we are close to nailing the growing this precocious variety.

The fruit showed the typical variation from green to golden coloured berries.  The deep coloured fruit was due to those bunches which were specifically exposed to the sun to achieve the required amount of berry shrivel.  Indications at the last sampling were that the Beaumes would be high again with the flavours of apricot, peach and honey suckle peaking.

Winemaking style dictates that the bunches are pressed whole i.e. no crushing so as to reduce the phenolic astringency. You guessed it, the winery didn’t have the ability to “easily” get the fruit into the airbag press.  So, straddled between the press and the forklift, all 5+ tonnes had to be shovelled into the press by hand.

That day started at 5am and finished at 11:30pm fro Vineman but the winery didn’t complete the final press load until 3am the following day!

At this point I am excited at the quality and flavour of the juice.  Bring on the Merlot harvest.

Vineman

Technorati Tags: viognier, merlot, Margaret River, phenolic, airbag press

Ten days ago when we received 25mm of rain over two days I must say I was looking for the worry beads as I had only just commenced sampling and at that stage harvest looked like being more than 3 weeks away.  Luckily both the Merlot and Viognier have come through that well with only a slight slowing of ripening for about a week.

Initially things were looking very similar to 2007 with harvest possibly mid March.  Since then it appears as though we have slipped into a normal harvest time, if there is such a thing.

Bird pressure appears to have abated as sporadic flowering of the red gum has commenced.  The only issue are the ground feeding magpies finding their way under the nets.  They seem to be kind on the fruit and leave it alone.

Yesterday’s sampling showed the Viognier to be colouring well and exhibiting some of that characteristic shrivel.  Flavours will build in the next week or so.

For this important variety things are looking good and we should be on track for 13.5 - 14.0 Beaume at harvest.

The Merlot is a little behind and ripening steadily.  The crop load is moderate following an extensive fruit drop post veraison.  The remaining fruit has coloured well.

For the Merlot we are looking for around 13.5 Beaume - still 2 weeks away!

Will keep you all posted how the next week or so transpires.

Vineman

Technorati Tags: Merlot, Viognier, Beaume, veraison, red gum

Organising a netting contractor proved more difficult than usual.  Not because they were all busy applying nets but because they had’nt realised that things were going to get frantic, the birds would suddenly move in and that eveyone would be screaming for help all at once.

Weather condition became more consistant, consistantly hot that is and hence the sivereyes (Zosterops lateralis) and the 28 parrot (Barnadius zonarius semitorquatus)moved in.  In a couple of days the Viognier sustained a reasonable amount of damage on the two or three vines at the ends of the rows closest to the trees.

In the narrow row part of the vineyard up to four rows at a time were covered which is effecient use of the nets.

They all had to be clipped down to the irrigation wire otherwise on windy days you find that the nets either blow over a row completely or just creep up - thereby allowing the birds access to the fruit.

Over the past 10 days we have experienced a typical “heat wave” with maximum temperatures mostly between 34 - 38C and night temps hovering around 20C.  This has meant that the birds have become extremely hungry/desicated as there is absolutely no tree blossom on the native Red Gum or Marri (Eucalyptus callophylla).

Normally at this time of the year trees such as these would be in full blossom providing birds with their preferred food source.  My observations are that the trees have not sprouted very much new growth at this point in time and those that have are extremely late.  It is from this new growth that flower buds form, ultimately producing a great supply of nectar for the birds.  All adds up to a very bad bird year!

To take this further these conditions will translate into a very low honey producing season as well, particularly of the very attractive and light Red Gum honey.

Still 4 - 5 weeks to harvest so extreme vigilance will be required.

Vineman

Technorati Tags: silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis, 28 parrot, B.z.semitorquatus, viognier, marri, eucalyptus callophylla

Closer inspection of the vineyard yesterday showed that since the weekend berry softening and colouring (veraison) has commenced.  What this means is that the early scouting birds are able to tell all their relatives and mates that sweet things await them very soon.  It then becomes a race between me with my nets and the birds as to who wins the battle.  I trust I will!

Nets are booked to be applied next Wednesday and so before then there is a deal of work to prepare the vines.  Over the past two evenings the final spray has been applied - this consisted of  wettable Sulphur, Neem oil (for rust mites) as well some final nutrition comprising liquid Kelp and Epsom Salts.  Touch wood to date there has been no evidence of disease throughout the vineyard.

As well, the Viognier grafts have required a final shoot trim which was done manually. No need to go to the gym when your doing this. 

The vines prior to trimming do appear a little scrappy and require shoots and leaves to be removed especially on the north side i.e. right side of row above.

The result is as shown, which I must say does look really neat when completed.

With attention to detail the fruit is partially exposed so that during the ripening period the berries receive maximum sunlight, develop a golden colour and some shrivelling.  These are the perfect conditions in order to produce the perfect Viognier fruit.

So far the weather conditions have been perfect, heaps of sunlight, some warm days and no rain.  More of the same through to harvest PLEASE!

Vineman

Technorati Tags: Australia Day, veraison, Sulphur, rust mite, Epsom Salts, Kelp,  Viognier

In a previous post you would have noticed that I was optimistic that the season was to be another early one with strong , early bud burst.  How quickly things can change.  I will try to explain what has happend over the past months and how it has impacted on the vines.

September:   Good initial growth was due to a mild winter and then September dished up a very wet month with 27/30 wet days and the second wettest month - 170mm.  This ensured good soil moisture levels and above average minimum temps and average maximum temperatures. 

October:   Things didn’t change much during October.  Well the first half at least.  Temps were below average, while the rain did stop, resulting in vine growth slowing.  It wasn’t until the final week that a more normal spring appeared which lead into November.

November:   Records around the state were set as the hottest November on record was achieved.  In Margaret River the maximum temp was 1.5C above the long term average while next to no rain was recorded.  As expected the vines “took off” again and flowering occurred in excellent conditions.  Looked as though things were back on track.

December:   Yes it turned again.  It appears as though winter has returned with days and nights being unseasonally cold.  There have been 9 wet days so far and the maximum temp is a staggering 3.1C below the long term average!!  Vine growth has been luxuriant and for those trying to slow it down, it has proven to be impossible.

Everyone is looking forward to some warm to hot conditions for the rest of December, January and into February.  If not I would be predicting that vintage will be at least 2 - 3 weeks later than normal - what ever normal is these days!!

Vines look great, fruit set has been excellent, however slowing down growth will prove difficult. This will mean more summer hedging and continuing vigilance on the disease front.

Come on summer where are you?

Vineman

Technorati Tags: bud-burst, temperature, flowering, hedging, vintage

These doubts arise from the fact that wine grapegrowing in Western Australia has proceeded in great haste over the years using vines grown on their own roots i.e. ungrafted.  Our isolation from eastern Australia has bred an air of complacency.  We don’t have the pest so why should we understand it?  Why should we read anything about it?  These were my feelings as well.

I must say that once I started this book I was fascinated as to how little I knew (zero actually!) about the imvolvement of France and America in this whole story. 

I can highly recommend this book as it traces the introduction of this debilitating pest into France from America.  It traces how it was introduced, how it spread, the methods initially used to to try to combat the pest as well as the impact it had on the French wine industry, taking it to the brink of destruction.  The fascination was that the solution rested with the country from which the pest came and the stubbornness of the top Chateau to accept that grafting onto resistant rootstock was to be the saviour.

All grapegrowers, especially those in Australia, should read this. 

The book is as above by Christy Cambell and published by Harper Perennial and its ISBN 0-00-711536-9.

Happy reading,

Vineman 

Technorati Tags: phylloxera, grafting, rootstock, France, America