Articles / NewsWinelines
James Halliday, April 12, 2008In a week or two I will peer into a murky crystal ball, and hazard a few guesses about the 2008 vintage. But the recent release of the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007 annual report on the Australian wine and grape industry caused me to look back before turning to the future.
The 2007 vintage was, as has been well recorded, the smallest since 2003, and on a par with 2001. The tonnages were 1,391,082 (2001), 1,329,596 ('03) and 1,370,690 ('07). In between came '04, '05 and '06, all around 1,800,000 tonnes.
But the gross figures tell only part of the tale. Going back a little further to 1998, red grapes accounted for 38% of the crush (rounded to whole numbers). That share then rose to 42% ('99), 48% ('00), 56% ('01 and '02), 58% ('03 and '04) and 56% ('05 and '06).
In 2007 it fell back under 49%, a massive change given the long term trend line. You might wonder (I did) whether the frosts, drought and smoke taint were responsible for a one-off change, and whether when and if growing season conditions return to something approaching normal, so will the dominance of red wines reassert itself.
Although it may come as a surprise, both the total plantings and plantings in bearing increased between '06 and '07, total plantings up by 4,985 hectares, plantings in bearing up by 5,784 hectares. The increase in total plantings was equally shared between white and red grapes.
It does not take rocket science to realise the yields per hectare were very much lower in '07 than '06, and that reds were harder hit than whites. The overall yield fell from 12.5 tonnes per hectare (t/ha)in 2006 to 9.2 t/ha in 2007, but the drop in red yield was 32% compared to 18% for the whites.
So far, so good, but it caused me to look at the trendy new varieties and see what was happening here. I wanted to compare 2003 with 2007, but found that one of the key varieties, pinot gris, did not make its appearance in the ABS annual reports until 2004, so I had to settle for that year.
It will come as no surprise to friend and foe of pinot gris alike that it has been the star performer. In 2004 there were 329 hectares, of which 207 were in bearing, producing 2.094 tonnes. In 2007 1,362 hectares bearing (total plantings now 2,469 hectares) produced 12,340 tonnes. Like it or not, there is an awful lot of pinot gris/grigio (same grape, different market spin) coming our way.
Viognier has grown from 683 hectares total, 462 in bearing, 3,903 tonnes in 2004 to 1,369 hectares total, 1,059 in bearing, 8,370 tonnes in 2007. A portion of that is co-fermented with shiraz, which some suggest is the best use for a difficult variety. While in no sense a novelty, the insatiable demand for sauvignon blanc semillon blends adding to the pull of each variety as a standalone has seen sauvignon blanc rise from 3,425 hectares total, 3,033 bearing, 39,774 tonnes to 5,545 hectares total, 4,545 hectares bearing and 36,515 tonnes.
In other words, in every case there have been significant increases, with more to come. What then of sangiovese, nebbiolo, petit verdot, durif, zinfandel and tempranillo? In the case of the first three it is the opposite. Sangiovese has declined from 511 hectares total/486 hectares bearing to 479 hectares total/450 bearing; nebbiolo from a tenuous 121/105 hectares to an even tinier 90/84 hectares; and petit verdot from 1,623/1,526 hectares to 1,387/1,335 hectares.
The Italian varieties are more temperamental and difficult to satisfy than was Maria Callas, but petit verdot is harder to fathom. Perhaps it is all too promiscuous; it has the highest yield of all the vitis vinifera red varieties yet produces wines of deep colour and flavour in any growing circumstances. It soulmate, durif, has fared better, but wit a modest 339/313 hectare rise to 452/439 hectares.
It's early days for zinfandel, 95/88 hectares up to 136/118 hectares, which leaves tempranillo as the one new variety with energy, rising from 257/194 hectares to 354/317 hectares. It is an early ripening variety, suggesting it should do best in cool regions, but its small plantings are so widely spread across Australia that making a call about its long term potential is of little value.
The 2007 vintage was, as has been well recorded, the smallest since 2003, and on a par with 2001. The tonnages were 1,391,082 (2001), 1,329,596 ('03) and 1,370,690 ('07). In between came '04, '05 and '06, all around 1,800,000 tonnes.
But the gross figures tell only part of the tale. Going back a little further to 1998, red grapes accounted for 38% of the crush (rounded to whole numbers). That share then rose to 42% ('99), 48% ('00), 56% ('01 and '02), 58% ('03 and '04) and 56% ('05 and '06).
In 2007 it fell back under 49%, a massive change given the long term trend line. You might wonder (I did) whether the frosts, drought and smoke taint were responsible for a one-off change, and whether when and if growing season conditions return to something approaching normal, so will the dominance of red wines reassert itself.
Although it may come as a surprise, both the total plantings and plantings in bearing increased between '06 and '07, total plantings up by 4,985 hectares, plantings in bearing up by 5,784 hectares. The increase in total plantings was equally shared between white and red grapes.
It does not take rocket science to realise the yields per hectare were very much lower in '07 than '06, and that reds were harder hit than whites. The overall yield fell from 12.5 tonnes per hectare (t/ha)in 2006 to 9.2 t/ha in 2007, but the drop in red yield was 32% compared to 18% for the whites.
So far, so good, but it caused me to look at the trendy new varieties and see what was happening here. I wanted to compare 2003 with 2007, but found that one of the key varieties, pinot gris, did not make its appearance in the ABS annual reports until 2004, so I had to settle for that year.
It will come as no surprise to friend and foe of pinot gris alike that it has been the star performer. In 2004 there were 329 hectares, of which 207 were in bearing, producing 2.094 tonnes. In 2007 1,362 hectares bearing (total plantings now 2,469 hectares) produced 12,340 tonnes. Like it or not, there is an awful lot of pinot gris/grigio (same grape, different market spin) coming our way.
Viognier has grown from 683 hectares total, 462 in bearing, 3,903 tonnes in 2004 to 1,369 hectares total, 1,059 in bearing, 8,370 tonnes in 2007. A portion of that is co-fermented with shiraz, which some suggest is the best use for a difficult variety. While in no sense a novelty, the insatiable demand for sauvignon blanc semillon blends adding to the pull of each variety as a standalone has seen sauvignon blanc rise from 3,425 hectares total, 3,033 bearing, 39,774 tonnes to 5,545 hectares total, 4,545 hectares bearing and 36,515 tonnes.
In other words, in every case there have been significant increases, with more to come. What then of sangiovese, nebbiolo, petit verdot, durif, zinfandel and tempranillo? In the case of the first three it is the opposite. Sangiovese has declined from 511 hectares total/486 hectares bearing to 479 hectares total/450 bearing; nebbiolo from a tenuous 121/105 hectares to an even tinier 90/84 hectares; and petit verdot from 1,623/1,526 hectares to 1,387/1,335 hectares.
The Italian varieties are more temperamental and difficult to satisfy than was Maria Callas, but petit verdot is harder to fathom. Perhaps it is all too promiscuous; it has the highest yield of all the vitis vinifera red varieties yet produces wines of deep colour and flavour in any growing circumstances. It soulmate, durif, has fared better, but wit a modest 339/313 hectare rise to 452/439 hectares.
It's early days for zinfandel, 95/88 hectares up to 136/118 hectares, which leaves tempranillo as the one new variety with energy, rising from 257/194 hectares to 354/317 hectares. It is an early ripening variety, suggesting it should do best in cool regions, but its small plantings are so widely spread across Australia that making a call about its long term potential is of little value.
From the Region
Lest it be thought I find no merit whatsoever in pinot gris, there are some excellent wines made from the variety where it is grown in cool climates. It comes as no surprise that the coolest region on the mainland. Henty in western Victoria, should result in Seppelt's Coborra Pinot Gris from its Drumborg vineyard often coming out at the top of its class. The 2007 (94 points, $25) is typical, with marvellous intensity and thrust to its flavours of pear, apple and a web of citrus leading into a long, dry finish. This is variety and terroir speaking, the winemaking limited to ensuring there is no interruption to that speech. To be fair, I should add that the Mornington Peninsula in particular can produce pinot gris of similar quality, if not quite the same style.
Lest it be thought I find no merit whatsoever in pinot gris, there are some excellent wines made from the variety where it is grown in cool climates. It comes as no surprise that the coolest region on the mainland. Henty in western Victoria, should result in Seppelt's Coborra Pinot Gris from its Drumborg vineyard often coming out at the top of its class. The 2007 (94 points, $25) is typical, with marvellous intensity and thrust to its flavours of pear, apple and a web of citrus leading into a long, dry finish. This is variety and terroir speaking, the winemaking limited to ensuring there is no interruption to that speech. To be fair, I should add that the Mornington Peninsula in particular can produce pinot gris of similar quality, if not quite the same style.
