By Jonathon Howard
Bellandean grape growers are working at full steam to harvest and maintain the quality of their fruit, with many fearing grape disease outbreaks due to excessive rain.
Ballandean Estate Wines client relations manager Leeanne Puglisi-Gangemi said wineries across the Southern Downs were in harvest mode, after rain had dampened progress.
A long queue of backpackers seeking a day or more work has also developed, as delays meant a lack of available picking work.
“Winemakers are still optimistic about Vintage 2013, despite a couple of weeks of rainy weather,” she said.
“There has been a touch of disease, thanks to the weather and minimal losses of some white varieties amongst the vignerons.”
But Ms Puglisi-Gangemi said if the weather breaks and becomes a little drier and sunnier, there is great hope for the region’s reds.
“A longer ripening period with bouts of sunshine will ensure great flavours in the reds, which are still a few weeks from picking,” she said.
President of the Queensland Wine Industry Association and grape grower at Hidden Creek Wines, Jim Barnes said many growers had been put back about a week or two.
“We already have most of the white varieties in, but our reds are yet to be harvested,” he said.
“There’s a real threat of diseases such as Botrytis and Downy Mildew which could require some spraying.”
Mr Barnes said the association would also be seeking input from the region’s growers about a licensing review, announced earlier this year.
More information regarding the review was expected to be announced.
