Vintage 2009
The Mornington Peninsula wine region has fared better than many other regions throughout Australia, however recent weather has had a severe impact. Following a cool December last year, some vineyards were affected when flowering and fruit set was diminished, which resulted in predicted lower yields, particularly in the cooler areas of the Peninsula. By the middle of January all vineyards were growing extremely well with good vigor and vine health
Following three days of extreme heat in the mid 40s in early February, many grapes were sunburned which resulted in some shrivel in vineyards where rows which face west, or run north/south, were particularly exposed to the scorching sun. The vineyard aspect, elevation and management practices are always tested in such extreme conditions, and the timing of any irrigation, leaf plucking and bunch exposure will have resulted in specific outcomes in each vineyard.
A small number of growers have harvested small parcels of fruit in late February but in general harvest appears to be generally consistent with previous later ripening years. Smoke taint is not an issue at all, with no fires and negligible smoke present in the region following the terrible Victorian bushfires in other regions.
However, the overall effect of the above on Mornington Peninsula yields was expected to be an average loss of between 5 - 30% of ‘normal’ yields. The MPVA is mindful of calling anything normal in any agribusiness, as by the nature of the business, the yearly impacts will always be a result of the preceding year as well as the prevailing climatic conditions through the current season, quite apart from the individual aspect, orientation and management practices. Winemakers’ feedback so far shows fruit with high natural acidity and good flavours.
As harvest continued into early to mid April reports have been much more positive than an initial gloomy outlook. Surprising, following the extreme heat incidents in late January/February, the cool climate autumn returned and the vintage ended similarly to one of our later ripening seasons. Winemakers are very pleased with the quality of grapes picked and regrettably the quantity will be reduced in most varieties although typically some varieties fared better with these odd occurrences than others. We look forward to another fantastic vintage in 2009 which shows the viticultural integrity of the region yet again.
Vintage 2008 Generally a favourable growing season with no drastic weather events and quality crops slightly above regional average weights. Growth in the spring was steady with vines showing no ill effect from the dry nor frosts of 2007. Weather was generally warmer and drier than in the previous year until some timely rainfall in December that ‘freshened’ canopies and gave more weight to the very good set in bunches across varieties. Some extended moderate weather in December with more than usual humidity and cloud cover saw powdery mildew taking hold in some vineyards causing some commercial losses. Vineyards with dense canopy and poor airflow were the worst hit. LBAM and mites were only isolated in their incidence and downey mildew was well controlled. Botrytis was generally not an issue due to the excellent dry weather in February with most crops again coming in around two weeks ahead of the ‘norm’. Harvest commenced with fruit ripening in a wonderful condition, ripening quite quickly in upper areas; many reports of Chardonnay fruit looking the best ever; and Pinot Noir fruit as good as in previous years. While it did get quite hot towards the end of the growing season, this did not cause extreme problems. Both reds and whites were of a high standard and should produce wines that will continue to the raise benchmark for the Mornington Peninsula.
Vintage 2007 - The growing season followed a very dry winter and started with an early bud burst. A cool spring with some hail and frost in pockets within the region in October and November resulted in some poor fruit set which ultimately resulted in reduced yield in some parts of the region. The soil type and water availability at specific sites dictated the fruit weights and ultimate yields. Some rain in January and February helped vines to present in good condition for harvest. Harvest occurred perhaps earlier than 2006 in higher areas but generally harvest was around the same timeframe as 2006. Low yields were due mainly to low berry weights, in some cases 50g instead of 80g bunches were experienced. About 75% of average yield has been experienced due to the unusual growing conditions but particularly the one in one hundred year drought. Although almost all growers reported reduced crops, variations due to varieties and the actual yield have been seen throughout the region. Fruit quality has been good with the smaller berries leading to some quite intense fruit flavours.
Vintage 2006 - A very warm start to the season lead to early budburst and flowering. Good rains during spring continued during the start of summer. Post Christmas temperatures cooled down significantly which slowed the ripening rate although in general harvest was 2 weeks early. Disease pressure had been a concern due to early humidity it did not eventuate as a significant problem. The quality in both red and white grapes is extremely good - for the fourth year in a row. Yields were less than average in red and average in white varieties.
Vintage 2005 - A very wet end to winter and a wet start to spring saw some vineyards showing signs of stress from wet roots early in the growing period. There were also some signs of salt damage with the wet weather bringing up salt that had accumulated through the preceding dry years. The season moved on to be cool and dry. Flowering and fruit set was good and vine growth healthy. Very little disease pressure was encountered this season. A late cool vintage was expected but autumn turned out to be dry and very warm and grape maturities accelerated to see harvest getting underway about a week later than normal and then rushing quickly through with real pressure on to get the grapes picked at optimum maturity. Analysis of the grape juice showed good balance with slightly higher than usual levels of acid. 2005 could be seen as one of the best ever on the Mornington Peninsula.
History of the Mornington Peninsula Wine Region
Wine production on the Peninsula dates back to 1886, when Dromana wine won an honourable mention in the Intercontinental Exhibition. In 1891, fourteen Peninsula grape growers were mentioned in a Royal Commission into the Fruit and Vegetable Industry. In the 1920s, many of the Mornington Peninsula's vineyards were abandoned or uprooted. In the 1950s, Seppelt and Seabrook operated a vineyard in Dromana, but this was destroyed by fire in 1967.
The renaissance of the region's wine industry began in 1972 when a number of aspiring vignerons independently recognised the potential of the unique maritime climate of the Mornington Peninsula for producing high quality cool climate varieties, similar to those of the great wine producing regions of France. The maritime influence provides relatively high summer humidity and rainfall. The coincidence of late ripening and a prolonged gentle autumn, result in fully ripe grapes with outstanding fruit flavours, high natural acidity and fine tannins.
The main grape varieties grown in the Region are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Shiraz. Some of the more innovative plantings have included Riesling and Tempranillo. Today, there are more than 200 vineyards, of which over half are less than 5 acres and two thirds less than 10 acres. The area continues to expand, the growth being driven primarily by the larger vineyards of more than 20 acres, which now represent 42% of the total area planted. The Region also boasts 50 wineries with cellar doors.
The Mornington Peninsula Wine Region continues to develop and is rapidly becoming recognized as Australia's leading producer of high quality maritime, cool climate wines, in particular Pinot Noir.
