CropWatch

Rain overnight has changed conditions on vineyards. Canopies and bunches are wet. James Hook is joined by Jen Pedder Agronomist and grape grower to check for Botrytis in the McLaren Vale CropWatch weather station monitoring site. Discussed in this podcast; Harvest is 40% complete in the McLaren Vale Wine Region Late season Botrytis Control.  The Grape Assess App.  Snail control during autumn. 

Harvest is approaching 30% complete in the McLaren Vale Wine Region. James and Gill meet up to discuss why harvest is late, spring and autumn are cool, and some of the factors that have led to low yields.

CropWatch Vintage 2023 Alternative varieties - how are they looking for Vintage 2023. James Hook and Gill Gordon Smith look at the performance of Fiano, Vermentino, Negro Amaro, Nero d'Avolo, Aglianico and Sagrantino.

CropWatch Vintage 2023 - Ep 1 - Highlights & Lowlights Vintage 2023 has been a challenging season for McLaren Vale grapegrowers. James Hook is joined by Jen Pedder as regular host Gill Gordon-Smith is overseas. Recorded just on veraison (E-L 35) with 45-60 days before harvest begins.

Vintage 2022 is all but complete. Gill and James reflect on grape quality and key weather events this season as well as discuss climate predictions for next season. 

Vintage 2022 is slowly progressing. In this episode, Gill Gordon Smith and James Hook catch up to answer why ripening is slow and what is the reason for green berries in bunches this season?

James and Gill discuss the declaration of a La Nina weather event and what that means locally for the McLaren Vale wine community. The risks from downy mildew and bunch botrytis are discussed. What is the difference between botrytis noble rot and the destructive bunch rot?

The CropWatch podcast returns for Vintage 2022.   In this episode, Gill and James discuss the value of Grenache in the McLaren Vale Wine Region, what we can learn from the European Vintage currently underway, and how the wine community should “play the season, not the forecast.”

While the harvest is not quite picked, James and Gill discuss why Vintage 2021 is already being classed as excellent. They also speculate on how Vintage 2019 and 2020 will be remembered, and what 2022 could bring. 

James Hook and Gill Gordon-Smith discuss how summer is proving to be mild and dry for McLaren Vale grapegrowers, but there is likely to be flooding elsewhere in Australia over the next two weeks.

Live from the vineyard, Gill Gordon Smith and James Hook discuss what makes a downy mildew outbreak.1- Not knowing there is a problem.2- Not being able to access vineyard to keep up protection.3- Not having access to post infection (eradicant) fungicide when needed.

La Nina is expected. What does it mean for McLaren Vale? Wet conditions are likely to continue and this is looking like a vintage of rain and fungus; rather than one of heat waves and berry burn. Note: At the start of this Podcast James welcomes you to the start of Vintage 2020. He knows it is Vintage 2021!

Recorded at the start of Winter 2020, James Hook reviews the Vintage for McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association.The weather conditions through winter to autumn harvest, are considered and key viticultural points are discussed.Highlights include the lack of rainfall in August 2019 limiting the creeks from running and preventing flooding, springtime frost risks, hot and windy weather in November and extreme heat in December.

Gill Gordon Smith and James Hook drove around our region as harvest enters its last weeks. They keep their talk focused on Vintage 2020!Gill asks some of the frequently asked questions from this season including going into detail about Rust Mite. What is a rust mite? What does rust mite damage look like? How long has rust mite been in the McLaren Vale Wine Region?

Recorded on January 24th during a cool period after rain, James and Gill discuss how the vintage is looking later than typical. Topics addressed include how there has been very little berry splitting seen, rain reducing the risk of smoke taint and prospects for harvest 2020.

Recorded at the start of January this edition of the CropWatch podcast covers the effects of hot soil temperatures on vines, smoke taint and bush-fire recovery.

As flowering begins, James and Gill visit a “training” vineyard to share hacks on pest and disease monitoring.

"Recorded September 2019 at Bud Burst. James and Gill discuss their predictions for the coming vintage. What is similar to last spring? We have a pretty similar climate forecast. A positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) remains the main driver of Australia's climate over the coming months. In lay terms the low-pressure fronts coming from the Indian Ocean are going further south than typical. A positive IOD is typically associated with below average rainfall and warmer than average days for large parts of southern and central Australia. A drier than average end to the year is likely. Spring days are likely to be warmer than average. With below average rainfall forecast and therefore clearer skies, nights are likely to be cooler than average in parts of the south at times, with increased risk of frost in susceptible areas. What is different to this time last year? Rainfall in May and June which helped fill up soil moisture in our topsoil. For vintage 2019 we started a bit short of soil moisture – we called it a ‘green drought’ – but at least this Vintage we start with a full soil profile. What might happen this Vintage? The prediction is for a warmer and drier spring season than average. If this prediction occurs it has some short-term benefits for vineyards, but also some long-term consequences. In the short term, a warm and dry spring weather reduces fungal disease pressure. A dry spring greatly reduces the chances of an outbreak of Downy Mildew, and the rate of Powdery Mildew spread, increased by humidity or suppressed by uV light, is also reduced making it much easier to keep up protection. The risks of Botrytis are also reduced if the weather during flowering (mid to late November) is warm and dry. Over the longer term it puts pressure on our irrigation resources – some sites will need to irrigate early in summer, which then has flow on effects on the amounts of water available for harvest, especially if we have heatwaves again. "

Finally with some rain hitting the roof, filling tanks and soaking the soil Gill & James discuss Vintage 2019 and look at the future. "

Recorded live on the last day of summer 2019 in McLaren Vale (February 28th). Harvest is in full swing with the 2019 vintage being picked and processed. James and Gill discuss two vineyards one of which is suffering while the other thrives. They look at what was learned after vintage 2008 and how that applies to this vintage. James also fesses up to some mistakes he’s made.

Recorded in February 2019, late summer, James and Gill talk about fruit ripening (EL 37). *James makes a gaff where he says “Petiole” which is the leaf stem, when he means “Racchi” which is the bunch stem.

Recorded in January 2019, the high of summer, on the hottest day in living memory. James and Gill look at the key growth stage of veraison (EL-35) and how extreme weather events affect ripening.

Recorded in November 2018, late spring in McLaren Vale. James and Gill discuss grapevine flowering (EL-19 to 25) and how storms can reduce yields by affecting berry set.

Recorded in October 2018: James & Gill discus how members of the grape and wine community can help protect vineyards from phylloxera and other pests and diseases.

Recorded in October 2018, mid spring in McLaren Vale. James & Gill discuss spring weather conditions during early shoot growth (EL-7-15) and how dry weather affects vineyard growth.

Recorded in September 2018, early spring in McLaren Vale, as vines undergo bud burst (growth stage EL-4). James and Gill discuss the importance of Grenache as a variety in McLaren Vale. *James makes a gaff about how much Merlot is grown in McLaren Vale – it’s 3% of the total area in 2018.