The Australian Wine Industry has undergone some extensive plantings over the past seven years. Surpassing the 2025 vision objectives in 2001, we currently are at about the 2015 projection for vineyard plantings.
Consequently the substantial amount of young vineyards throughout Australia is underpinning the wine quality being produced, while many winemakers wait with optimistic opinions on what region, what variety, what trellis type will be successful in contributing to a premium product for the market.
There is no doubt that well managed young vineyards will mature to balanced older vineyards, producing the quality winemakers strive for.
This article focuses on four areas of management that must be well planned and implemented after the initial phase of development. They are points within today’s viticulture that contribute to the best practice ethos currently being adopted in the industry.
This is an integral area, which determines how the vineyard is set up for the cropping years.
There are two schools of thought when training vines. The decision to sprawl or train the first year is purely based on budget or soil type.
I prefer to suggest where soils are marginal, the sprawl method allows roots to establish efficiently, ready to cater for the following seasons growth. However, weed control is important if this method is adopted.
Where soils are fertile the root system will establish quicker, causing plenty of shoot growth that must be managed, so training is adopted.
Either way operational dollars will need to be spent, whether it is in the first and second years of the vineyard’s life.
It is important to string vines so that trunks are straight as this will aid in machinery practices, especially where rows are 2m to 2.75m wide, which is quite common in today’s viticulture.
From this procedure it is important to coax the strong leader or cane up the string, as this will ultimately be the main trunk.
There is much thought on the debudding process, so I prefer to allow some shoots above the drip line as this provides for photosynthesis which assists further growth at the cordon wire.
Once the cordon is being trained then the lower portions of leaves/shoots can be trimmed.
Obviously in the past years the emphasis has been to push vines in the first year in order to crop in the second year for a small return. However I do raise the notion that over a five-year period, vines will produce a given amount of fruit from productive spurs. If pushed hard to produce a big crop of 2 tonnes/ac (5 tonnes/ha) in the first cropping season, then it will reduce its yield in the second and third year of cropping.
Equally, if nurtured in the first year to produce a more conservative 0.5-1 tonne/ac (1.25 tonne/ha), the future cropping years will rise more consistently and, by the fifth year, both management adoptions will be the same in relation to total tonnes produced.
The latter approach is generally preferred by winemakers as fruit condition/wine quality is enhanced by taking the softly, softly approach.
Budgets for training should be in the range of 8-10 cents for string application; 10-12 cents for training leaders and trimming shoots; 12-15 cents for debudding unwanted leaves/shoots;
18-20 cents for wrapping canes on wire and a further 18-20 cents for second and subsequent passes, depending on vigour. Overall a budget of 84-95 cents AUD per vine in the first season should be allocated.
It is important to keep fungal disease at the absolute lowest. This will assist the vineyard to obtain the necessary growth, correct nutritional status and cropping levels.
Areas to consider in relation to pests are LBAM, caterpillars, beetles, snails, rabbits and other related dangers suited to soils such as nematode activity. All the aforementioned can hinder early growth phases, rendering the vineyard to early failure. Don’t fall into the frame of mind that these areas will not affect you, as growers who hold this view are often faced with the blunt reality of crop losses through pest and disease problems.
Low applications of sulphur/copper sprays can help to reduce powdery/downy mildews, whilst constant monitoring provides you with peace of mind that growth rates proceed to schedule.
This area is extremely important as healthy growth rates and balanced nutrition will contribute to successful cropping in the first five years. Petiole analysis, soil testings (sometimes forgotten) and analysis of irrigation water will paint a picture for management to schedule and adjust to testing results.
Foliar applications of NPk (there a number of foliar fertilisers to choose from) and drip applications of recommended elements all assist in developing the correct recipe for nutrition.
I believe it’s important to have a balanced use of fertilisers used at recommended rates whilst constant monitoring of growth rates to make assessment on fertiliser injection/application.
It must be stated that long internodal spacings will result in vigour and not balance, so monitoring this area is vital. Equally large, strong, healthy leaves will contribute to above average growth rates, less susceptibility to disease and consistent photosynthesis rates.
Balanced vines that achieve optimum crop yields and fruit maturity is the aim through monitoring/assessing growth and managed irrigation through analysing soil moisture probes.
Equally excessive fertigation can result in high vigour resulting in large bud numbers which is not desirable.
The production of premium fruit is achieved by setting up consistent, well-spaced bud numbers/spur positions along the cordon.
A balance must be achieved between bud numbers and vigour experienced. This area must be tested by pruning weights to yield ratios in order to crop evenly and produce well defined bunches.
Whether single or multiple cordons, the vineyard will produce to its maximum each year, thus the challenge for managers is to set levels, monitor and adjust to optimum levels. This will become more evident as the vineyard produces wine for assessment. This challenge faces the industry at present, as younger vineyards settle down to their optimum ability.
Overall these four areas of management can contribute to success or failure. Challenges with management strategies to implement what is perceived as best practice is an important objective; one which should be featured in every vineyard business plan.
Excessive use of fertigation or irrigation can be detrimental to achieving the desired result; ie balance between vigour, leaf structure and ultimately fruit maturity. Healthy, well balanced vines will reward in many ways, both in the winery’s perception of the vineyard and financially to the owner. It must be said that vineyards consume large amounts of the financial dollar in the first three years, so careful management consisting of these areas plus others relating to soil management, trellis and irrigation maintenance must be the focus to realise returns on the capital investment.
Assessment, monitoring and making deductions from analysis
will enable you as the manager to develop a sustainable vineyard that performs
to expectation.
With this in mind, our young vineyards will mature to provide the platform for
industry longevity.
