| Argentina
is not way behind.
Frost damage is the biggest worry in Chile as the
coldest winter in more than half a century draws to
a close. Snow fell this winter on many of the country's
wine valleys for the first time in decades. Temperatures
continue to hover close to zero Celsius at night causing
headaches for winemakers.
Varieties that bud the earliest – Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir and Malbec – are two to three weeks
late because of colder temperatures, says Edmundo Bordeu,
an enology professor at Catholic University in Santiago.
Winemakers in Casablanca Valley, Maule Valley, close
to the Andes mountains and in the nation's south, are
especially at risk of frost damage, he said.
In 1992, Chile had severe frost damage in the crucial
month of October, driving prices up, says the professor..
'Everyone seems to think that we will probably have
spring frost,' Bordeu said. 'The quality of wines should
not be affected, but the quantity could suffer drastically.'
Andres Turner, general manager of Montes Wines, which
has vineyards in both Chile and Argentina, says Argentina
has had a similar winter. 'Unlike Chile, Argentina has
some frost in most years. This year it's been colder
than usual at night. We are concerned about October.'
Not everyone is pessimistic. Jorge Morande, grower
and consultant to several vineyards in Casablanca, said,
'We have been getting close to frost, but it does not
mean it will happen. If it does, we are prepared to
deal with it. Normally, the frost that happens in the
spring is less intense anyway.'
Resource: http://www.decanter.com
|
