|
|
|
Glut sours grape outlook
17 May 2004
The nation's grape glut just became worse, with Australia's biggest winery, Berri Estates, harvesting its largest vintage. Berri, in South Australia's Riverland, crushed a record 163,000 tonnes of fruit in the just-completed 2004 vintage. This is an 8 per cent increase on its previous record of 151,000 tonnes in 2002.
Berri Estates is part of the Hardy Wine group owned by US-based Constellation Brands. Another winery in the group, Stanley Winery in the Sunraysia, crushed 107,000 tonnes.
The combined crush produced a 270,000-tonne vintage, up 5 per cent on pre-vintage estimates. Weather conditions in the Riverland and Sunraysia throughout the 2004 harvest period remained dry, warm and stable, resulting in an above-average vintage in terms of quality and quantity, Hardy Wine said. Chardonnay was up 7 per cent on pre-vintage estimates, and shiraz rose by 8 per cent. However, cabernet sauvignon was down 4 per cent due to unfavourable climatic conditions.
Herald Sun, 17/5/04.
|
|
