It’s Hot – Really, Really Hot

It’s 44 degrees Celsius today in Adelaide. Last week we had the hottest day in 70 years, over 46 Degrees Celsius. We then had 6 days in a row over 40 Degrees. I remember only a couple of months ago in November, freezing my butt and thinking this global warming thing is a crock. In Queensland they have had mass floods and catastrophic gale force winds.

The world really is all ass about at the moment. But really, the only thing that matters is “how will it affect the 2009 vintage wines in Australia”. Normally, northern grape growing areas such as Mudgee, Griffith, and Mildura start harvest in January. Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale normally start at or around the end of February.  Yesterday I was almost run off the road but a semi-trailer full of grape bins, funnily enough, full of harvested grapes, in the Adelaide Hills.

Many growers and wineries are in a state of panic as fruit withers on the vine, some looking at up to 75% loss of yield. Basically, any fruit that will survive this heat, especially the earlier ripening varieties will get a massive increase in sugar concentration, without the subsequent and balanced flavour maturity. Therefore the grapes become like sugar bombs, and taste “grapey”.  They don’t necessarily taste like Riesling or Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc or Shiraz.

To compensate, many growers will need to irrigate excessively just to keep the vines alive and kicking, further exacerbating a lack of flavour and structure.

While not many areas of South Australia have escaped the heat, there will be some pockets, especially in the Adelaide Hills that will have had more moderated temperatures. Also, those growers that manage their grapevines in balance have strong, healthy, naturally balanced vines, will fare much better than manipulated vineyards. 

Whilst it’s too early to predict the quality of the 2009 vintage, it’s almost guaranteed that there will be some excessively high alcohol wines, but as usual, there will be a small band of makers whose skill and vision will trump all comers. Only time will tell who they are.