Vintage 2019: What to expect in Langhorne Creek, South Australia
As the summer heat continues to be a problem for some parts of Australia and the projections for the 2019 vintage, we talk to Marina Goldsworthy of Langhorne Creek Grape and Wine about what the picture is like in its part of the South Australia after she refuted comments reported by VINEX from grape buyers that the vintage had been badly hit.
How is the harvest looking like in Langhorne Creek compared to recent years?
Viticulturists in Langhorne Creek are generally buoyant about the vintage, especially given the extreme heat day that affected the whole of South Eastern Australia. There is strong demand for Langhorne Creek fruit this year. Vintage is running a week to week and a half later than last year with fruit for still white wines being harvested in the first week of February. Reds still several weeks away into March.
What projections are you making about likely production levels?
It is impossible to estimate at this stage until official figures are released from the industry’s annual Wine Grape Crush Survey, expected in October. A production level similar to 2018 is hoped for at this early stage.
How has the region coped with the hot summer and high temperatures that parts of Australia have experienced?
Langhorne Creek is fortunate to have reasonable water security, bolstered by community and government investment in water delivery systems since 1995. The region has been able to water throughout the hot summer and strict watering regimes were instigated over the extreme heat days to mitigate the impacts as much as possible. Some exposed vineyard sites and more vulnerable varieties could not escape the punishing heat of January 24, but overall the region has fared well.
Have there been other issues to contend with?
Apart from the heat event on January 24, there have been no issues to contend with in 2019. Disease pressure has been very low due to the dry conditions. Fruit set was good, and the cooling winds off Lake Alexandrina and the Southern Ocean have tempered extreme heat experienced by many other regions – other than January 24 as previously stated. At times throughout summer our region is 10 degrees cooler than the Barossa and McLaren Vale.
How are different grape varieties performing?
The mainstay of our region, Shiraz and Cabernet are performing well with some heat losses in particular sites. Malbec fruit has been somewhat affected by the heat and is a variety particularly susceptible to such conditions. There have been some Malbec sites of great success tempered by others of severe loss depending on the situation. This variety is valued in the region but accounts for only around 300 tonnes of the total fruit in the region which crushes around 50-60,000 tonnes regularly. Mediterranean varietals seem to sail through warmer weather.
How was the overall 2018 harvest in terms of production?
The 2018 harvest was down in all regions across South Australia. In Langhorne Creek, crush was down approximately 22% from 2017. According to Wine Australia data, crush for Langhorne Creek in 2018 was 52,570 tonnes. In 2019, we are expecting our crush similar to 2018.
What impact did that have on pricing of different grape varieties?
We are pleased to report that overall prices for Langhorne Creek fruit have been rising over the past few years. Bear in mind, prices are often negotiated yearly according to the quality of the fruit grown and demand.
What pricing trends can we expect from Langhorne Creek in 2019?
We are expecting good prices for fruit in 2019. There is strong demand for Langhorne Creek fruit this year with losses due to heat and variable fruit set across many regions helping to bolster the situation. But at the moment we cannot give accurate data by variety or for bottled and bulk wine.
What are the main markets for wine produced in Langhorne Creek?
Langhorne Creek is a region that sees a lot of its fruit blended for big companies with large holdings in the area particularly for the Wolf Blass and Jacobs Creek brands. There are around 20 small, medium sized businesses making wines from Langhorne Creek and eight have cellar doors in the region.
How much goes to the domestic market?
Around 70%.
How much is exported and what are the key export markets for you?
In 2018 2,695,000 litres were exported by bottle, where the GI is identified on the label. There was a further 8,688,000 bottled and exported with Langhorne Creek GI reported by the winery in the product description.
Our key export markets are, in order of size:
- China 44%
- Canada 14%
- UK 13%
- US 7%
- New Zealand 6%
Has this changed much in recent years?
Our exports are rising.
What are the main styles of wine produced in Langhorne Creek?
Langhorne Creek produces 85% red wines. Mainly Cabernet and Shiraz, often for blends. There is a movement toward alternative varietals such as Montepulciano and Fiano. We are also renowned as Australia’s premium region for Malbec. Smaller producers in the region are producing award winning regional red wines with hallmark plushness, soft tannins and remarkable concentration of colour and flavour.
In 2018 the Bleasdale Winery won seven trophies including three Best Red Wine of Show at the four major capital city wine shows, all for different wines including the prestigious Max Schubert Trophy for the Best Red Wine at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show.
How many growers do you have?
We have around 80 growers in the region. Australia’s larger winemakers are well-represented in the region as Langhorne Creek Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are a valued contributor to many South Eastern Australian red blends by such winemakers as Treasury Wine Estates and Pernod Ricard. There are several holdings in excess of 300 hectares (740 acres) in size. Such multi-million dollar investments emphasise what many wine producers have known for decades; this is a remarkably good area for soft, fruity, medium bodied red wines.
However, there are an increasing number of small to medium sized wineries either using fruit from the region or who are based here. There are eight wineries in the region that are open for visitors and around 20 producers making wines from the region.
Further statistical information is available at: https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/91704380-353a-43f1-92b7-a31f1f3a37d9/Langhorne-Creek-Snapshot-2017-2018.pdf