Coonawarra

2006 Coonawarra Vintage Report

• A dry, warm winter promoted good bud fruitfulness.
• Limited spring frost concerns meant overall vine health was excellent.
• A dry hot January was tempered by a cool February that steadied ripening.
• Warm weather at harvest ensured full flavour development. Harvest was over by 19 April.
• Cabernet Sauvignon was the outstanding variety.

During winter, spring and early summer, Coonawarra experienced temperatures above the long term average, with January especially higher. The 2006 vintage began with a relatively dry winter and average pruning levels were applied throughout most blocks due to good bud fruitfulness.

November and December saw good rainfall and warmer temperatures which reduced frost risks with frequent cloud cover and wet soils. Canopy and overall vine health was excellent at the end of the rapid period of shoot growth in early December. Shoot thinning to open canopies and to reduce shoot length variation was undertaken in select icon blocks.

January experienced very dry weather and together with warmer temperatures resulted in some early vine stress and smaller berry size. Irrigation was used earlier than usual, with the main aim being to maintain vine leaf function and prevent excessive berry size reduction through moisture stress. These drier conditions alleviated any disease concerns and reduced any canopy manipulation needed as shoot growth had ceased. Select icon blocks were hand thinned at early veraison to ensure even and ideal fruit load and maturity development.

Cooler conditions during February steadied ripening, whilst a warmer March and April ensured the full flavour development and tannin maturity of the below average yields. Harvest progressed well, with only two significant rain days during March and April, and was completed in good time on 19 April, before the opening rains.

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Winemaker, Sue Hodder, described the 2006 vintage as being, "very close to long term averages in both temperature and rainfall, much like the 1994 and 1996 vintages. Those two vintages were particularly strong Cabernet vintages with well defined fruit flavours. Time will tell if 2006 matures as nicely as 1994 and 1996, but early indications are very promising indeed."

"The Riesling and Chardonnay are very pleasing. We have elegant and varietal white wines and will bottle these early to capture freshness. The Shiraz is spicy and vibrant purple in colour. The Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, varietal and very promising. At this stage, the wines are a little subdued but the concentration is evident and time in barrel will enable the wines to soften and emerge. The individual vineyard labels, the Harold and Johnson's wines have been extremely popular and we hope to continue them."