By WineSur.comWine Spectator published this month a summary about each of the 2011 grape harvest of the Southern Hemisphere. Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will remember this year not only for the great wines, but also for some weather difficulties they had to deal with during growing season.
Vineyards in the U.S. and Europe are just flowering, but there’s juice fermenting in the tanks down south, in the Southern Hemisphere, that is. The 2010-2011 growing season was cool and cloudy in South America. An early frost lowered yields in Argentina, and wet weather made February a nerve-wracking month. On the other side of the Andes, Chilean winemakers just hoped the grapes could hang on the vine long enough to ripen.
This year, Mother Nature brought wet weather to both New Zealand and Australia, forcing vintners to fight off rot. In Australia, where some regions faced heavy flooding, cool weather meant long hang times, ripe tannins and lower than normal alcohol levels in the country’s big reds. In New Zealand, temperatures were warmer than average, which meant a constant struggle against mildew and botrytis. Winemakers in both countries report lower yields, but good quality fruit.
Variety is the spice of life, but South African winemakers may be cursing it. South Africa’s top wine regions produced dramatically different results this growing season, especially between hot, dry inland areas and cooler coastal zones.
Argentina
An early, severe frost in Mendoza, Argentina’s leading wine region, set the tone for a challenging 2011 vintage for winemakers, who also had to battle periods of high winds, hail, drought and heavy rain. Cool temperatures throughout the season delayed maturation, but an Indian summer ripened grapes before harvest. Winemakers are expecting elegantly styled wines, with higher acidity levels than usual.
“Alcohol levels are between 0.1 and 0.2 percent higher than normal,” said Luis Reginato, vineyard director for Bodega Catena Zapata. “The reason is the...Read Full Article
