Well, following on from my last post, the nets won the race but not after incurring a small amount of collateral damage.

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

The fact that it’s Australia Day (26th January) soon is my reminder that veraison is close, vines need to be prepared and bird nets have to be applied.

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

I am sorry it has been a while since I last posted.  While the usual excuse could be that things have been rather hectic, I must say that I have been trying to get my head around the current season, what it has been dishing up and what it means for the 2008 vintage.

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

When recently I was recommended to read a book on the wine industry scurge Phylloxera (a root eating louse), I was rather scepticle to put it mildly.  How interesting a read was this going to be? Why would I want to learn about the history of this vine pest and how it was introduced to the vineyards of France?

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

Just a short note to keep you all updated on the 2007 wines and where they are at. 

The Merlot is sleeping quietly in barrel, woken every 3 months to be assembled in tank and then put back into nice clean barrels again.  It is developing beautifully and the aim is to bottle it during late winter 2008.  Should be the best yet!

The wine that seems to be forging a name is the Viognier. The 2007 win spent five months in barrels having been fermented in them.  This is one ‘hell’ of a wine similar in many ways to the very successfull 2004.

At the end of fermentation we achieved an alcohol of 14%+ and having spent the five months on yeast lees, it has developed similar mouthfeel and fullness as the 2004.  I believe it just needs 6 - 12 months in the bottle to show its wares.  Jurg Muggli, the winemaker, is also extremely happy with the result.

I thought I would be bold and show it at the Mt Barker wine show recently and given that it had only been in the bottle a matter of weeks, it picked up a very highly pointed Bronze medal.  Not bad I thought! 

I am expecting great things from this wine.  Only problem is there is not much of it due to the very low yields of the 2007 vintage.  Shall keep you all posted on how it develops.

Vineman

Technorati Tags: Merlot, Viognier, barrels, fermentation, lees