Wine Production : Vine to Bottle - Vinum Vine

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Table 16.1
The least good years for red Bordeaux
WINE PRODUCTION
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
1963 – disastrous 1972 – very poor 1980 – fairly poor 1991 – fairly poor
1965 – disastrous 1974 – poor 1984 – fairly poor 1992 – fair
1968 – disastrous 1977 – very poor 1987 – fair 1993 – fair
been cool, with excessive rain, but then there is an Indian summer
later in the month and into October, it is the wines majoring on
Cabernet Sauvignon that may excel.
Many New World regions boast that they can ripen fruit in almost
any year. However, it is true to say that even in less favourable
climates there are fewer ‘poor years’ resulting in lower quantities of
mediocre wines than was once the case. Let us consider the least
good years of the past four decades for red Bordeaux, as shown in
Table 16.1.
What has happened in the past 40 years that has resulted in
the reduction of very poor years Is this a consequence of global
warming There is little doubt that climate change has had a very
modest impact on wine quality. However, the real advance has been
improvements in the knowledge of growers about achieving higher
quality fruit, and makers in processing less than perfect fruit, in
years when the weather is unfavourable. We will consider just a few
of the techniques used.
16.2 Coping with problems in the vineyard
Downy mildew and powdery mildew thrive in damp conditions at
any time of the growing season. Damp, humid autumn days may
result in attack of the grapes by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, in its
unwelcome form of grey rot. Opening up the canopy of leaves and
letting the breeze into the vines can help reduce outbreaks. Series
of weather stations have been established in many vineyard areas,
reporting to a central monitoring service: growers can subscribe
to this and have advance warning of the conditions that may result
in mildew outbreaks, and are thus able to undertake preventative
spraying.