Wine regions Australia - Wrattonbully

Wrattonbully   South Australia

Wrattonbully is a newly defined South Australian wine region, on the Limestone Coast showing success with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Wrattonbully's undulating landscape and temperate climate is producing finely structured table wines. Photo: Milton Wordley

It is one of the key regions in South Australia supplying bulk quantities of fruit to wineries outside the region. Today the big guns in the Australian wine industry Mildara Blass (Fosters), Hardy's (Constellation) and Yalumba have vineyards producing fruit for red and white table wines.

During the 1990s a number of independent growers added another dimension to the industry, establishing vineyards to supply the bulk market and also to establish their own unique Wrattonbully labels, promoting the region through boutique wine circles and cellar doors.

Wrattonbully is in the Limestone Coast zone, sharing the neighbourhood with Coonawarra to the south and Padthaway to the north-west. The main town is Naracoorte. In the early days the region was given over to pastoral activities but today the sheep and cattle share the land with over 1800 hectares of vineyards.

Not surprisingly Cabernet Sauvignon is the main variety grown with just under half the total area devoted to this famed Limestone Coast variety - Shiraz has also been extensively planted followed by Merlot and Chardonnay.

The region is inland with a temperate climate slightly cooler than the coast with a long growing season, particularly suited to red wine production. Rainfall is relatively low at around 561 mm per annum falling between October and April. The vineyards are however, supported by extensive underground water reserves.

Caver at the entrance to a cave at Caves vineyard (Hardy Wines, Constellation) Photo: Milton Wordley

The region's geology is ancient. Back in time when Australia was Gondwanaland, Wrattonbully was under the sea. The shoreline receded under force of glaciation creating a kind of layer cake with limestone reefs as the base, the finely structured terra rossa soils forming the main layer, then another thin layer of limestone spatulated on top. Out of this unique profile comes Wrattonbully wines.

Although the first commercial planting was in 1968 many of the region's vines are young - planted in the nineties. This makes the region a future watcher, as vines enter a mature phase and winemakers draw down on the unique qualities of the fruit.

In many respects the landscape of Wrattonbully is quintessentially Australian with the gentle undulations of the four main limestone ridges traversing the region, speckled with gum trees and large tracts of pastures and vineyards meeting a big sky horizon. The action, however, is to be found where the vines' roots grow - underground.

Alexandra Cave, Naracoorte Caves National Park Photo: Steven Bourne

There is an extraordinary limestone cave system that is so extensive you can observe entrances tunnelling under the vines. But the best place to see these caves is in the Naracoorte Caves National Park. There are 26 large and spectacular caves with features like cathedral domes, tree fern colonies and formations of stalactites and stalagmites.

The Naracoorte cave system is World Heritage listed because of its unique fossil record. The caves have acted as pitfall traps and homes to large number of mammals, birds and reptiles dating back 500,000 years.

This collection of Pleistocene fossils is one of the finest in Australia and can be experienced in the purpose built Wonambi Fossil Centre. Along with fossils you can see life size figures of extinct creatures displayed in recreations of their ancient habitat.

If you wish to stay in the region there is accommodation ranging from hotels and motels to B & Bs to self contained accommodation - and there are plenty of eateries in Naracoorte serving great local wines, to make your stay relaxing and fuss free.

Wrattonbully Wine Industries Association Vintage Report 2008

Season

In contrast to the previous year, this season started with excellent budburst and strong early growth, a few frosts that had localised impact and otherwise fine conditions.

Warm to hot weather, and one key rain event dominated the period to Christmas meaning excellent fruit set, and shoot growth. From this point extreme heat was experienced for the month of January, a coolish February, and a very hot march. April was mild by comparison with a slight improvement in rainfall.

The Spring conditions this year were cold with some frosts, but different in that we had rain through October and November providing a buffer against intense cold periods. Only 3 severe frosts were recorded that caused economic damage of an intermittent nature across the region

Vineyards (in the main) responded very well in the spring with excellent budburst and spring conditions very conducive to strong growth, a good rain in November really set the season alight, delaying irrigation and promoting excellent shoot length. The hot January / cool February saw early vintage varieties begin on time with the later varieties (red) ready early in March up to 4 weeks in advance of normal picking times. This effectively compressed the vintage from 12 to 6 weeks, creating many logistical challenges the level rarely experienced before.

Pest & Disease

Very few deficiency symptoms were observed, fungal disease pressure was high with Powdery Mildew prevalent and the November rain creating a downy event. Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) activity was limited whilst Vine moth was active late in vintage but not problematic at all.

Grapes & Wine

In total, approximately 25,000 tons were crushed this year, which is almost spot on the regions targeted tonnage across all varieties, No fruit was left unsold this year.
Early reports are that this vintage been strong across all varieties, with notable highlights, reported across all producers, and very few disappointments.

Summary

An excellent, but very compressed vintage of both quality and quantity, that is beginning to see the benefits of vines growing in age and stature.

Harvest time: mid March to mid April

Photographs courtesy: Wine South Australia and Department for Environment and Heritage