Finding the positives after a tough season

It has been far from a good year for wine growers across the region. The protracted drought and sweltering summer conditions have drastically reduced yields, while smoke taint concerns from the unprecedented bushfire season have seen some wineries abandon vintages all together.

But with grape harvest underway and recent rain bringing a green tinge back to the hills around Orange, local growers and vintners are getting on with the business of making wine and looking and forward to a brighter season ahead.

“The positive is, I'm standing here looking down a vineyard row — of an unirrigated vineyard — and yet we are still managing to harvest it. The canopy could be greener and bigger, it's not, but we've got fruit off and it doesn't look too bad,” said Justin Jarrett of See Saw Wines.

“But it has been a very tough year. In fact, it is probably one of the hardest seasons I've had to grow grapes through in 25 years.”

Justin started the growing season with only about 10 per cent of the water he would normally expect in storages across his three vineyards. With little rain to speak of over the growing season, yields have been severely affected, but that’s not to say there won’t be some great wine to come out of the 2020 vintage.

“So, we’ve tested the system of dryland growing and it has been pretty tough. Our yields are down by at least 70 per cent, but the quality is up from what we are getting off,” said Justin.

“I think you could say we are finding some diamonds in the rough. You know, no matter what happens in the season, there is always something that pops its head up and says, ‘hey, I don't mind these conditions’ and makes a great wine.

“We are really quite surprised. The prosecco and our pinot rosé from Annangrove Park — at this stage, in the tank, they look outstanding. The sav blancs, normally in a hot, dry year struggle with their aromatics, but it is not what we are seeing.

“And we should get some really intense coloured and flavoured shiraz, cabernets and merlots… there are areas that won't because there is no fruit or there has been some smoke in the district, so that has to play its way out yet, but at this point in time it’s onwards and upwards.”

While the conditions over the past year have been extremely trying, Justin says it’s all part of life on the land.

“What is ideal? There are vintages in my 25 years that stand out as Wow! But there are also lots of vintages that are tough,” he said.

“Wine is a primary producer product and, at the end of the day, we are at the beckons of the elements and the seasons, the soil and the weather. We just try to do our best to make a wine that reflects the year and where we are and hopefully people drink it and enjoy it.”

Good rain has fallen around Orange this past month, the best falls in years in places, but it’s still far from enough to put the drought behind us.

“Support locals,” said Justin. “The wine region in Orange is very well supported by people in Orange and we need to continue that. Easter is coming, F.O.O.D Week is coming, everyone get out and get involved. Support your local businesses, because it is not just us that's doing it tough in the drought, everyone is. The more we can work with each other and keep that circular economy going, the better off we all are.”