Avenue Vine

While yields might be down, grape quality is expected to be "good to excellent" overall due to generally good weather conditions.

The Australian Wine and Brandy Council yesterday said that with 20 per cent of the crop picked, the harvest was expected to be about 1.8 million tonnes, down about 7 per cent on 2005. This figure does not account for grapes left on the vine.

Council information and analysis manager Lawrie Stanford said that last year about 2 per cent to 3 per cent of grapes were left on vines and there was every possibility of a repeat this season.

Some South Australian growers already have indicated they will leave some fruit on vines and, with an estimated 900 million litres of unsold wine still in storage from previous years, low grape prices are testing the viability of some growers.

Mr Stanford said the lower yields would be viewed with relief by winemakers holding excess wine in stock. "This will allow wine reserves to be reduced to more reasonable levels while good-quality grapes from the 2006 harvest will enhance Australia's competitiveness in vital overseas markets," he said.

The drop in yield was due in part by smaller berries and lower bunch numbers, while some growers had been trying to reduce yields in line with lower demand.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says there were 1.93 million tonnes of grapes crushed in 2004-05, up 8252 tonnes on 2003-04's record.

The area under cultivation increased only marginally to the start of this vintage, the AWBC said. It will release another assessment in late April while the Winemakers Federation will release its vintage report in June.

Source: “Low yield a relief to grape growers,” Cameron England, Advertiser, February 28, 2006