Improving the breed

Tasmanians have always loved a good rural field day. Indeed, the citizens of Van Diemen's Land celebrated the island's first show and field day way back in January 1822. And while it may have provided a rare opportunity for some fun and frivolity, its participants would have also viewed the day with considerable gravity.

Its main purpose was to identify and promote the best of breed on the island, whether it be sheep, cattle, cakes or flowers.

Almost two centuries on, promoting the best of breed remains a key goal of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania, according to its chief executive, Philip Le Grove. That's the reason his organisation is lending support to an annual Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year award, co-sponsored by the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, and the Vineyards Association of Tasmania.

"Good wines don't just happen," said Le Grove in Friday's announcement that this year's prize had been won by Richmond's Tolpuddle Vineyard.

"They derive from good viticultural management. This award is an important complement to our Royal Hobart International Wine Show, because good management is fundamental to the production of winning wines at wine shows such as ours."

Tolpuddle Vineyard was established in 1988 and produces Coal River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for sparkling and still table wines. It's managed by former Victorian and Wangaratta farm-girl, Geraldine Colombo. 

Colombo graduated in 1999 with a degree in Applied Science (Viticulture) from Charles Sturt University, after initially studying horticulture and farm management in North-east Victoria at the beginning of the 1990s.

Her Tasmanian award is to be marked with the presentation of the Richard Langdon Trophy at an industry field day on the vineyard on May 18th. The trophy is the wine industry's most prestigious prize for viticulture and vineyard management and honours Langdon's contribution to the RAST and the Australian food industry.

For the humble career viticulturist, the award represents a highpoint among her limited experiences of Tasmanian viticulture. She took up her appointment at Tolpuddle Vineyard in August 2004 after being employed in Victoria by Brown Brothers, TarraWarra Vineyard and Southcorp Wines.

Her early work at Tolpuddle earned her a place among the four finalists selected for 2005's inaugural Vineyard of the Year award, won by Lebrina's Clover Hill.

This year's award was judged by a four-member panel, comprising Domaine A Stoney Vineyard winemaker Peter Althaus (VAT), primary industry representative Duncan Farquhar (DIPWE), RAST nominee Frank Walker, and industry representative Chris Smith (last year's recipient and manager at Clover Hill).

Their tasks included stringent audits of each vineyard's, soil management and weed control, disease control, pruning, trellising and water management.

"We didn't just decide on the nicest-looking vineyard," said panel spokesperson Peter Althaus.

The panel noted the property's hillside slopes had excellent sun exposure but shallow soils, providing significant challenges to effective management. Irrigation was not only advisable, it was crucial in a region that typically received only 450mm-550mm of natural rainfall each year.

Having just left Southcorp's vast 220ha Heathcote Vineyard, Colombo says she was surprised by what she found on her new home turf.  The valley's entire plantings amounted to just 268 hectares.  She was particularly struck by the parched landscapes she found neighbouring the 20ha Tolpuddle site just outside the historic village of Richmond.

"I honestly thought I was coming to lush green Tasmania, so I got a bit of a shock when I first arrived," she says.

"There's probably less rainfall here than many parts of north-east Victoria. Irrigation on this site offers its biggest challenges."

The property's 67,000 vines were planted in four stages between 1988 and 1999, part of a joint business venture between local agricultural entrepreneur and StrathAyr Lawn king Bill Casimaty, Victorian winemaker and viticulture consultant Garry Crittenden, and managing director of Domaine Chandon Australia, Dr Tony Jordan.

Now spanning 20ha, the site's 20 separate blocks of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are hand-tended and hand-harvested, and contribute fruit to some of Australia's leading wine brands. They include Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay and Domaine Chandon Tasmanian Vintage Brut.

They also play a vital role in supplying Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to the Hardy Wine Company's recently established Bay of Fires brand - an exclusively Tasmanian portfolio. The company's rarified Arras label is Australia's most awarded premium sparkling wine on the national wine show circuit.

Colombo says close observation and monitoring of all that goes on in the vineyard is a vital part of her management role. She does much of it herself. Full-time vineyard staff is a luxury. Training and maintaining an effective workforce of casual employees is essential to supporting her hands-on role.

In late January, Agricultural Resource Management carried out a site assessment via remote aerial sensing. Digital sensors on board an aircraft were used to collect visible and near-infrared images of Tolpuddle's leaf canopies prior to veraison. These have a strong correlation with vine health and vigour.

As a result, Colombo has already been able to fine-tune her irrigation and fertiliser applications. The data has also helped lay the foundations for effective programs of winter pruning and carefully targeted shoot thinning throughout the coming season. 

The good news just got better.

First published Autumn 2006: Tasmanian Farmer