Challenging conditions result in lower than average yields for Riverland
The Riverland harvest has begun in South Australia, where hot and dry conditions have made for a challenging growing season resulting in lower than average yields.
This has been exacerbated by the high temperatures and a hail storm that devastated around 8000 tonnes of grapes in November, according to Riverland Wine executive chair Chris Byrne, who said the reports coming in from producers were “quite variable”.
Speaking to Harpers, he said: “There will be less grapes because we know there has been less water and we’ve had some severe heat so it will definitely be a smaller crop than last year’s 474,000 tonnes but you can’t place too much reliance on the first few tonnes that come in.”
As for the quality of grapes at his Loxton vineyard, they were “looking like they’ll be some of the best we’ve ever grown”, added Byrne. However, he said the chance of a heatwave occuring between now and the end of harvest was a “big unknown”.
“If you get a run of days in the mid-40s then all sorts of things can happen in the vineyard. It requires a huge amount of diligence to keep the moisture at the right level and you have to be well prepared in advance."
However, he said the Riverand region was well placed to deal with such challenges, as it had so much practice in doing so, and also because it benefited from “the best” irrigation infrastructure to deliver water to farms, with most enjoying good on-farm irrigation distribution and measurement systems.
The Riverland typically accounts for around half of South Australia’s wine grapes and is responsible for a full quarter of the country’s total production according to Riverland Wine, which has teamed up with the University of Adelaide and Wine Australia to develop a digital platform to enable grape growers to maximise irrigation.
The Barossa Valley has also been affected by the searing temperatures, and is on track to record below average yields this vintage while Adelaide Hills winemakers are waiting to see what impact smoke from last month’s Cudlee Creek bushfire might have on their grapes.
The bulk of white grapes will be picked at the end of this month, with red varieties to follow from mid-February. Picking in the Clare and Barossa valleys is not likely to get into full full swing until the beginning of next month ahead of the more southerly regions such as McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Adelaide Hills and Limestone Coast.
South Australia is responsible for about 50% of Australia’s annual production and over three quarters (80%) of its quality wine.