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What Happens to Vineyard Soil Compaction — and How Quickly Does It Come Back? Soil compaction is one of the less visible consequences of vineyard machinery traffic, but it can have a significant effect on the way water, oxygen and vine roots move through the soil profile. Every pass of a tractor, sprayer, harvester or truck applies pressure to the soil. Over time, repeated traffic can increase bulk density, reduce pore space, decrease infiltration and increase soil penetratio

Downy mildew, caused by the oomycete Plasmopara viticola, remains one of the most weather-driven diseases in viticulture. Unlike powdery mildew, which can infect without free water, downy mildew depends heavily on rainfall, leaf wetness, humidity and temperature. The important point for growers is that not all downy mildew infection events are the same. The first infection of the season is a primary infection, originating from overwintered oospores. Once those infections esta

Foliar kelp sprays are increasingly discussed as a possible tool for reducing frost injury in vineyards. The attraction is obvious: they are relatively inexpensive, easy to apply, and seaweed extracts contain a complex mixture of compounds that may influence plant water relations, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant activity and stress-response pathways. But there is an important distinction between improving cold hardiness and protecting a vineyard from a severe radiation frost.

Powdery mildew is one of the most persistent diseases confronting wine grape growers. Caused by Erysiphe necator, the disease can infect leaves, shoots, inflorescences and berries, with infections established early in the season capable of developing into significant disease pressure around flowering and fruit set. The challenge with powdery mildew is that by the time it becomes obvious in the vineyard, the grower may already be behind. This is why early-season control is so

Winter pruning is often viewed primarily as a way of controlling vine size and maintaining the structure of a vineyard. But for wine grape production, pruning is also the first major crop-load decision of the coming season. Every bud retained has the potential to produce a shoot, and each fruitful shoot has the potential to carry one or more inflorescences. Consequently, the number and position of buds retained at pruning establishes a significant proportion of the vine’s yie

When a vineyard is soil tested, the focus is often on the top 10–15 centimetres of soil. It is a logical place to start. This is where organic matter, fertiliser inputs, biological activity and much of the fine root activity are concentrated. But for an established vineyard, looking only at the surface can provide an incomplete picture of the soil environment the vine is actually growing in. Grapevines are capable of developing extensive root systems that explore considerably

Cover crops have become one of the defining features of sustainable viticulture. They reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter, improve biodiversity and enhance soil structure. But in warm, Mediterranean climates, they also create one of the industry’s biggest management dilemmas. How do you capture the environmental benefits of cover crops without sacrificing vine performance through increased competition for water? A new three-year study conducted across commercial

Preserving Your Vineyard Assets During Market Downturns. Periods of oversupply and reduced demand can place significant financial pressure on vineyard businesses. When grape prices fall below the cost of production, continuing to manage a vineyard for maximum yield may no longer be economically viable. As a result, an increasing number of growers are considering an alternative strategy known as vineyard mothballing. Rather than removing vines or abandoning a block altogether,

Fertiliser is one of the largest annual operating expenses in many vineyards, yet it is often applied based on historical practice rather than actual vine requirements. In an era of increasing input costs and growing pressure to improve environmental stewardship, soil nutrient analysis has become an essential management tool for vineyard profitability. Many vineyards continue to apply fertiliser at rates that were established years ago. While these programs may have been appr

Why Pruning Weights Remain One of the Most Important Measurements in Premium Viticulture In premium wine production, vineyard success is often judged by fruit composition, yield, wine quality and vine longevity. Yet one of the most informative measurements available to growers is collected long after harvest has finished. Dormant pruning weights provide a direct measure of vine growth and remain one of the most widely used indicators of vine balance in vineyards around the wo

In many vineyards, pruning is scheduled around labour and logistics rather than vine physiology. However, the period between harvest and natural leaf fall is critical for carbohydrate accumulation, nutrient retranslocation, and dormancy progression. Pruning before full senescence can reduce reserve recovery and weaken vine performance the following season. Post-harvest canopies remain physiologically active long after fruit removal. During this phase, the vine reallocates car

Harvest timing is the most consequential call made in the vineyard. It determines not just yield, but the structural integrity, style, and ageing trajectory of the wine. While sensory cues such as flavour, tannin evolution, and berry condition are essential, three analytical parameters remain central to decision-making: Baume, titratable acidity (TA), and pH. These are not isolated metrics; they function as a system, and it is their alignment that defines true ripeness. Baume

Botrytis bunch rot, caused by Botrytis cinerea, continues to be one of the most economically significant diseases in wine production. Even in regions that are not consistently humid, short periods of rainfall combined with dense canopies and prolonged leaf wetness can create ideal infection windows. The consequences are well known: yield loss, reduced sugar accumulation, compromised flavour development, and oxidative instability in the winery. As sustainability expectations r

Post-harvest is not a shutdown phase — it is a reserve accumulation phase. Once fruit is removed, the vine reallocates photosynthate and nutrients into trunks, cordons, and roots. These reserves determine spring vigour, bud fertility, early shoot growth, and resilience under stress.

Commit to annual soil testing. Track the numbers. Manage trends early. Protect structure, nutrient efficiency, and vine longevity before constraints develop.

Hot and dry weather events have become increasingly common across Australian wine regions, prompting questions from grapegrowers about the impacts on vine performance and fruit quality and what management strategies might help mitigate negative effects. Sunburn and Berry Damage All grapevine varieties are susceptible to sunburn, though the degree of susceptibility varies with variety and canopy condition. Exposure to high temperatures post-veraison is particularly damaging be

Bushfires and grass fires are an unfortunate reality for many wine regions. When a vineyard is exposed to fire, the visual impact can be confronting — scorched leaves, blackened canes, damaged irrigation — yet what you see immediately after the event does not always reflect the vine’s true capacity to recover . Effective post-fire management is about timing, restraint, and understanding vine physiology , rather than rushing into drastic action. This article outlines practical

Deficit irrigation is a precision water management strategy that imposes controlled water stress on grapevines during defined phenological stages to optimize berry composition and ultimately wine quality.

Flowering is one of the most influential stages in a grapevine’s annual cycle—yet it’s often the most overlooked when it comes to nutrition. For growers aiming to improve fruit set, reduce variability, and set the vine up for a balanced season, what happens nutritionally in the few weeks around bloom can determine the success of the entire vintage. Here’s why nutrition at flowering matters, what can go wrong, and how foliar sprays between flowering and veraison provide a reli

Frost damage is a gut-wrenching sight in any vineyard — blackened shoots, wilted leaves, and the sense that weeks of growth have been lost overnight. But vines are resilient, and with careful post-frost management, recovery is possible. 1. Assess the Damage Wait 3–5 days before making major decisions. This gives time for the full extent of damage to appear — some shoots may look burnt but will push new secondary buds. Mark the worst-hit blocks for closer monitoring over the