It’s very difficult to keep abreast of all 50 odd Australian regions; so here is information about a few. South Burnett-white varieties complete a few weeks ago, the last reds which have been hung out for the last drops of ripeness were in the winery this weekend. The 36 oC scorcher the previous Saturday produced shrivelling. Granite Belt-most whites will be in this week, and as the start of March is autumn, temperatures have dropped, causing a tapering off of red ripening. The exception is tempranillo which has generally been harvested at the same time as chardonnay. Lower Hunter-over for whites and reds, though some are hanging to push for ripeness. Mudgee-also almost over; reds are being left to hang to chase ripeness. Murray Valley-very advanced, a good percentage of red varieties now complete, late varieties are still hanging and portion harvested. Rutherglen-not as early as the north, but white varieties now being picked.

1 March 2008 Moffatdale (South Burnett) 27 oC; Jimbour (Darling Downs) 27 oC; Pokolbin (Hunter) 21 oC; Ballandean (Granite Belt) 22 oC; Stirling (Adelaide Hills) 14 oC; Mildura (Murray Valley) 24oC; Tanunda (Barossa) 21 oC; Gin Gin (Swan) 38 oC; Margaret River 26oC.

Although global warming has not expressed itself with blistering temperatures across eastern Australia during November and December 2007 nevertheless grape growers have found their vines ripening at rapid rates. And so vintage started in January for many warm grape growing regions. Barossa Valley and Mildura chardonnay was coming off in mid and late January, McLaren Vale was taking sauvignon blanc very early, the Hunter was off in late January although rain has slowed progress. Likewise the South Burnett started early January and suffered rain interruption while some Darling Downs vineyards finished red grapes by early February.

The main climatic influence has been a series of low pressure regions (1004 to 1006 mbar) in the Coral Sea and an unusual series of disbursed upper level troughs bringing rain to north-eastern Australia during December and January. The current culprit is cyclone Gene of southern Vanuatu. There has also been a high amount of cloud cover in northern Australia although this has not retarded grape ripening, but appears to have preserved unusually high levels of acids in harvested grapes. The Coral Sea lows encouraged hot and dry winds from central Australia with the result of high 30 oC and even 40 oC days across Victoria, South Australia and spasmodically in Western Australia. At times southern ocean cold fronts have interrupted the northerly winds.

Moffatdale (South Burnett) 27oC; Jimbour (Darling Downs) 34oC; Pokolbin (Hunter Valley) 27oC; Ballandean (Granite Belt) 26oC; Stirling (Adelaide Hills) 27oC; Mildura (Murray Valley) 35oC; Tanunda (Barossa Valley) 34oC; Gin Gin (Swan) 39oC; Margaret River 29oC.