Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz varietal study 2004/05 – 2006/07
Abstract
Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz varietal study 2004/05 - 2006/07
Summary
The Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) and Adelaide Hills Wine Region Association have funded this project, The Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz Varietal Study, for a period of three years, or three growing seasons (2004– 2007).
This report summarises the findings of the study, describing the eleven trial sites, including management practices and grapevine characteristics throughout the duration of the project 2004-2007. All sites are located within commercial vineyards, and although the total size of the varietal blocks varied, each trial site was of the same size and selected as being representative of the entire block or of its specific location in the Adelaide Hills region.
The report is purely a ‘snapshot’ of six blocks of Sauvignon Blanc and five blocks of Shiraz across three seasons. The findings are presented as observations with inferences made relating to the key project objectives where necessary. This final report has been prepared after three complete growing seasons, and the completion of sensory analysis of all project wines in years two and three of the project (carried out by Provisor Pty Ltd).
This study has shown intrinsic differences between both vine behavior and sensory properties of the Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc wines, despite all sites being generally similar. The report suggests that the observed differences between wines made from these sites should mainly be attributed to terroir as well as the meso and microclimatic characteristics of each site and variety.
The findings for Shiraz note that although there are differences between vine behavior at each site, after analysis no clear associations can be made between wine sensory properties.
In contrast the findings for Sauvignon Blanc suggest that consistently good wine was produced from vines at a site which had the following attributes:
- high capacity, with high degree of vegetative vigour
- dense canopy with sheltered fruit zone
- deep loamy soil over loamy-clay with good organic matter in topsoil
- gentle south facing slope, sheltered position
The site with these attributes produced wine noted as having the most intense and fresh varietal characters of all trial wines.