Hayes Family Wines - Who would be a Farmer?
Estate Block 12, Minor Frost and Hail Damage
Spring in our Organic Vineyard
Spring is a time of renewal, of regrowth and a time to be positive about the season ahead. It is also a time when the vines and their potential fruit are at high risk, whether that be hail, frost or wind. And this year, to date, it has been hail and frost.
Spring Hail
On 28 October 2021 a big hail storm moved through the Barossa. Hail has a way of being indiscriminate, this time, Tanunda, Eden Valley and further South were hit. The Northern Barossa escaped much of the damage. Some vineyards were completely stripped. For us, we got some structural damage, and most of the vines have some damaged canes and leaves. Crops will be lost for us, just another reduction. As long as it is dry and wind blows, disease risk should be low. For others, they were not so lucky.
Spring Frost
Like many things in vineyard life, frost impact is all about the timing. And the worst time is spring. Cold nights are standard in the vineyards, with temperatures often falling well below zero, sometimes as low as -10 degrees on the Barossa floor over winter. But once we get budburst, and ultimately new vine growth in spring, the vines become susceptible to damage.
On the night of the 13th, morning of the 14 October, temperatures dropped below zero across the Valley. Frost fans protected many of the high risk vineyards, but particularly in the north and west damage was significant in some vineyards. Our Estate Vineyards, with the long grasses, had minor damage. Our Koonunga and Ebenezer blocks suffered more. Time will tell but crops volumes will be impacted, in some cases significantly.
The Months Ahead
Let's hope for a bit of relief in the months ahead - no more frost, no more hail, some nice warm dry weather and no fires nor excessive wind. Wind in November cost us 75% of the crop in 2020 - let’s not have that again!