Inaugural winemakers’ trial tasting
In August, WA winemakers were invited to attend the inaugural Winemakers’ Trial Tasting hosted by DAFWA. The concept of the tasting was for winemakers to come together and show wines they had produced from trials conducted over recent vintages.
Winemakers from the Swan Valley, Geographe, Margaret River and Great Southern wine regions attended the tasting. The group tasted the wines ‘blind’ which was then followed by a group discussion on differences and preferences of the various treatments. Those who presented trials benefited from feedback of 22 experienced winemakers and those who attended gained insight on different viticultural and winemaking techniques and an opportunity to participate in discussion and sharing experiences in an informal setting.
The theme of the tasting was red varietals, the trials included:
- a comparison of four different Shiraz clones
- Cabernet Sauvignon harvested by three different methods
- minimal versus conventional pruning of Shiraz vines
- Shiraz fermented with a percentage of whole bunches
- effect of post-fermentation maceration on Cabernet Sauvignon.
Shiraz clones
This trial involved tasting four Shiraz clones produced from one Margaret River vineyard. In terms of preferences the group ranked clone BVRC12 first with 45% of the tasters preferring this clone and ranked clone PT15 second at 27%. The other two clones, 1654 and WA Selection both scored 14% in terms of preference. Overall the trial demonstrated the influence that clone selection can have on Shiraz wine style.
Harvest method
Comparing wines from standard machine harvesting, selective machine harvesting and hand picking Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon showed the influence these various harvesting methods have on wine characteristics and quality. Surprising to most, the group scored the hand harvested parcel as their least preferred wine at only 18%, the two other methods both received equal preferences at 41% each.
Pruning trial
A block of Margaret River Shiraz was split into spur and minimally pruned sections to determine the impact on wine quality and explore potential cost efficiencies. Overwhelming the group preferred the wine produced from the minimally pruned vines. The costs and yields of the two treatments was also presented which formed an interesting discussion on vineyard inputs.
Whole bunch trial
A parcel of Margaret River Shiraz was split, one half conventionally fermented while the other included 20% whole bunches. The group was divided on preference between these two treatments, with 55% preferring the whole bunch treatment and 45% the ‘control’. It was discussed that the whole bunch parcel would provide a valuable blending option.
Extended maceration trial
A parcel of Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon was split into two treatments, pressed off skins at dryness and pressed 10 days post-fermentation. At 78%, the majority of the group preferred the wine that had the extend maceration. This trial showed the value of considering extended maceration for quality Cabernet Sauvignon parcels.
Feedback from those who attended was very positive and supported the continuation of this tasting event.