Balancing your quality dollar – Yield loss vs colour gain in the Riverina

Abstract

Balancing your quality dollar - Yield loss vs colour gain in the Riverina

Summary

Red winegrape berry colour is now a key determination to the payment of red winegrapes prices for producers. The rapid development and uptake of berry colour assessment by wine companies has led to winegrape growers having to understand the impacts of their viticulture practices and environment on the results of the fruits of their vines produced for red winemaking, the significant learning curve is continually being refined and trialled with research outcomes and developments with understanding berry colour development.

Due to the mixed understanding amongst local growers and limited information to support the various views this small trial intended to assess the winegrape maturity parameters in the Riverina region and measure the link between baumè, colour and yield parameters to the grower’s fruit value and ultimately hip pocket. The trial was set up across 3 vineyards of varying scales from 2 hectare to 25 hectare blocks with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz varieties being assessed. Trial set-up and crop assessments were conducted in late December to early January and sampling and assessing of fruit commenced towards the end of January and ceased in mid-April. Fruit assessment was carried out on a weekly basis in line with the gradual increase of fruit baumè ripeness. The sampled fruit was analysed for pH, TA, baumè, berry anthocyanin colour, berry weights and bunch weights.