Frost bites!

By Dion Teasdale
WINE growers have been devastated and their vines decimated by the worst frost in the Yarra Valley in 25 years.
A snap freeze descended on the valley on Sunday 22 October, destroying up to 70 per cent of the region’s grapes and wiping off an estimated $50 million in fruit sales.
Temperatures dropped as low as -4 degrees Celsius overnight, damaging more than 2000 hectares of vineyards and killing off more than 12,000 tonnes of grapes.
Chris Messerle, chair of the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association technical subcommittee, described the freeze as heartbreaking and shattering.
“The frost last Sunday hit the lower Yarra Valley very hard, particularly from Coldstream through to Yarra Glen,” he said.
“Reports so far suggest 70 per cent of grapes have been destroyed across the region, but this could easily increase.”
Mr Messerle, who runs Yarra Glen Vineyard, said he had lost up to 80 per cent of his 117 hectare crop, which would translate to a $1.2 million loss.
“The mood among wine growers is pretty depressing at the moment. A lot of smaller growers have lost 100 per cent of their product,” he said. “It is particularly shattering because Yarra Valley wines have been selling well and most growers have had strong demand for their fruit.”
Mr Messerle said larger wineries like De Bortoli, Tarrawarra, Yering Station and Domaine Chandon had suffered significant crop damage and that last week’s frost would have an ongoing ripple effect.
“The damage to the vines will impact on next few year’s growth and will add significantly to ongoing management costs for wine growers,” he said. “We will work with the Victorian Wine Industry Association to prepare figures on damage and losses which might entitle us to financial assistance.”
Mr Messerle said a number of factors became clear at a crisis meeting last week.
“It’s likely we’ll see people fall out of the industry because of this, and that’s pretty heartbreaking,” he said. “Also the current dry conditions means the effects of the frosts are more severe. Growers will need a lot of water to get their vines growing again.”
Anna Aldridge, Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association media spokeswoman, said the frost was the latest in a series of freezes wreaking havoc on the local wine industry.
“There have been eight frost periods reported in some areas, at least three of these extreme,” she said. “There was one night when the temperature was below zero degrees for more than six hours.”
Ms Aldridge said frost damage had been reported from mid September from all areas of the Yarra Valley, and that last week’s frost was the worst in 25 years.
“Damage was not only in what may be considered frost-prone pockets or river flats, but also on slopes and tops of hills,” she said.
Ms Aldridge said there was a strong likelihood of further frosts.