By James Halliday
Yesterday, the judges at the Limestone Coast Wine Show were given a tour of Coonawarra, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, Mount Benson and Robe. Frost had struck everywhere; those vineyards with
sprinkler protection and adequate water were able to repel the attack, but those using windmill fans or helicopters had no defence. The layer of freezing air was up to 100 metres deep - and in those circumstances air movement is futile. Frost damage has also extended its grip through the upper end of the Barossa and Clare Valley. In Victoria, 11 wine regions have also been severely hit. The Victorian Wine Industry Association estimates the overall crop damage at 60% with a direct revenue loss of 39 million Australian dollars. In the Yarra Valley, the low-lying vineyards of Yering Station and Domaine Chandon have been absolutely devastated. There may have been frosts like this in the 19th century, but there have not been any of similar magnitude since viticulture resumed in the Yarra Valley in the latter part of the 1960s. Tasmania, too, has been hard hit.
Troubling for the growers is the fact that the ground remains dry, and the forecast for the coming months is for below average rainfall. Clear skies and dry ground make further frost damage inevitable. It is thus impossible to say just how great the damage will be when the time comes for harvest. The Murray Valley and the Riverina are the engine rooms of Australia. While not so hard hit by spring frost, the cold winter has inhibited bud formation, and the drought means much reduced water allocation. Even if frost remains distant, the production from these regions, too, will be severely down.
