The first phase of a research project investigating the suitability of a range of rootstocks for Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir is showing promising preliminary results (see story in this edition).
But what will the wine from the Mornington Peninsula trials taste like?
Greater Victoria growers will have the chance to try the wines at a workshop to be held in May/June next year. Moorooduc Estate is currently gearing up to produce a selection of trial wines made from a range of rootstocks.
A regional presentation summarising the trial’s findings will follow in late June 2020.
Grapevine trunk disease and biosecurity workshop series
Other activities for Wine Australia’s Greater Victoria Regional Program include a grapevine trunk disease and biosecurity management workshop series, to be held in May next year.
‘Grapevine trunk diseases continue to be one of the most significant challenges to the productivity and longevity of the Australian wine sector. This workshop series aims to continue promoting the outputs from the National Grapevine Trunk Disease Management project being managed by Dr Mark Sosnowski from SARDI’, said Dr Mark Krstic, General Manager Business Development at The Australian Wine Research Institute.
The workshops will also reinforce biosecurity management messages for phylloxera (including changes to farm gate biosecurity protocols); provide an update on brown marmorated stink bug; and include a presentation on national Xylella coordination and management by Craig Elliott Manager of the National Xylella Preparedness Program for Australia’s plant agricultural industries.
The series of four workshops will be held in Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Western Victoria and North East Victoria between 11 and 15 May 2020.
Smoke taint forum
Smoke taint continues to be a major production concern each growing season in Victoria – due in part to the increased risk of bushfires in a changing climate and a Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) controlled burn season coinciding with the busy vintage/harvest period.
A planned burn and smoke taint forum was held on 17 October to keep growers up to date with the latest research findings on smoke taint, and foster greater communication between DELWP regional offices and regional wine sector associations to minimise the risk of smoke taint from planned burn activities.
Chardonnay Symposium
The production of high quality Chardonnay is of great interest to many wine producers across Greater Victoria. A Chardonnay Symposium – held on 31 October – expanded on the highly successful Chardonnay master classes run in previous years.
The Yarra Valley event – featuring special guest British wine writer Jancis Robinson – presented the latest in viticulture and winemaking science, practitioner case studies and a master class tasting session.
The event was attended by 140 participants and was a great way of engaging producers and providing updates on growing, winemaking and marketing Chardonnay.
Soft pruning demonstrations
The soft pruning (Simonit and Sirch) method is gaining momentum as vines age and untreated wounds become susceptible to grapevine trunk diseases.
A soft pruning workshop and demonstration was held in Beechworth in July, and additional workshops are planned for Geelong and Mornington Peninsula in June 2020. There are also plans to run additional workshops across other Australian wine regions.