Southern hemisphere harvests get underway

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 25 February, 2014

Australia's 2014 harvest is well underway, while New Zealand wine growers kicked off this year's picking over the weekend.

There had been some concerns that the heatwave earlier this month in Australia, which saw temperatures soar to 40C, would affect the grapes, but so far, reports from vineyards have been positive.

Over at Penfolds in the Barossa Valley, the group said there was still some time to go until the harvest started. It tweeted @harperswine saying: "We joined Steve Lienert [senior red winemaker] out at the Kalimna Vineyards this morning - two weeks until picking there".

Meanwhile on Twitter, the Australian winemaking community was posting updates under the #v14 hashtag.

@Vineyard Mates said: "#v14 started with a bang rain slowed it down should make great wine this year still put things in balance @BarossaDirt @ChateauTanunda."

Tim Wildman, MW, who is currently living in Australia, tweeted at the end of last week: "Riverland Fronti from @wackygrapes picked, weighed & frozen @Yangarra waiting 4 #mclarenvale Grenache #V14."

Miscreant Vintners [@MiscreantVint] said: "#marsanne with flavour!!! Getting stuck into #V14 in a big Rhone way."

Travis Tausend @travistausend, the part owner of Cork Wine Cafe and winemaker of Friend Experiment in Adelaide, said: "#v14 riz - picked, pressed and the murmurings of the first throws of a fermentation."

Lacey Vineyards Chapel HillBen Lacey of Lacey Vineyards posted a photo of the "early morning pick of Watilla Shiraz for @chapelhillwine #v14".

New Zealand's Mudbrick Vineyard kicked off its harvest with Hawkes Crest Chardonnay - here it is being loaded in to the press.

Ben Lacey of @laceyvineyards posted a photo of the "early morning pick of Watilla Shiraz for @chapelhillwine #v14".

New Zealand update

Over the weekend, Trinity Hill Wines (@trinityhillwines), which has vineyards in both Gimblett Gravels and Hawkes Bay, tweeted: "First #nzv2014 coming in to #thehill today! Beautiful #hawkesbay day, fruit looking good. LM #nzwine".

Mudbrick MudbrickNew Zealand’s Mudbrick Vineyard kicked off its harvest with Hawkes Crest Chardonnay - here it is being loaded in to the press.

Mudbrick Vineyard [@MudbrickVineyrd] in New Zealand, kicked off its harvest saying: "Its on! Mudbrick Vintage 2014 has started with Nico loading the Hawkes Crest Chardonnay into the press. #V14"

Reports from Marlborough put this year's harvest two weeks ahead of last, according to Hunter's Wines winemaker Inus van der Westhuizen, who told the Marlborough Express it was picking Breidecker, used to make a light German-style wine first.

South Africa

Meanwhile, the South Africans are also starting to harvest as Swallow Hill Winery (@SwallowHillWine) in Greyton, South Africa, tweeted: "Harvest well underway in South Africa and looking very nice indeed!

If you're in the southern hemisphere, let us know how your harvest is shaping up by emailing Gemma McKenna, or tweeting us @harperswine

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