Winsome McCaughey and Snow Barlow, directors of the boutique Baddaginnie Run wine company are delighted to be partnering Craft Victoria. Their family vineyard, located in Victoria's beautiful Strathbogie Ranges, produces elegant award-winning wines including a Shiraz, Merlot, Verdelho, Viognier and Rosé.
www.baddaginnierun.net.au

Winsome has been closely involved in both the arts and the wine industry for many years and sees many similarities between the creativity and determination involved in the ancient art of fine winemaking and the crafts as we know them today: 'the creative process, whether it be crafting a beautiful piece of jewellery or a making a fine wine, requires intense focus, even to the point of obsession. Winemakers and crafts people both use their imagination, both experiment, push boundaries and continuously re-evaluate their work, as they strive to achieve a particular balance, expression or effect'. Winsome thinks the late Max Schubert, creator of Grange Hermitage, summed it up when he said: 'Good winemakers must possess a fertile imagination to be successful in their craft. To make great wine then winemakers, like artists, must be willing to ... give some of their personality to their wine ... it is part and parcel of the wine itself. The greatest wines have implanted in them the ideas of the winemaker ... their character is part of the wine.'

Sustainability in the Vineyard

Snow is Professor of Horticulture and Viticulture at the University of Melbourne with a deep commitment to sustainability. His PhD in Soil, Plant and Water relations from Oregon State University, plus extensive knowledge in environmental plant biology, viticulture, plant water use efficiency and climate change, is proving extremely valuable in the vineyard during current challenging  times. 'A vineyard's wellbeing is inextricably linked to the health of the broader landscape' Snow says. 'Baddaginnie Run's philosophy is to nurture the environment as an integral aspect of producing quality grapes, to achieve an inner vine balance and a natural harmony between the vines and the wider landscape, managing both with sound sustainable practices. Together with family and friends 100,000 indigenous trees have been planted in the valley over the last three decades along wildlife corridors and in forestry shelter belts. These combine environmental and productivity purposes; they support biodiversity, create habitat, enhance soil health and sequester carbon. Our long term aim is to set aside some 50% of the land for conservation.'

Snow’s background gives him a deep interest and basis for applying the latest viticultural research to producing quality grapes that fully express the unique terroir of Baddaginnie Run's family vineyard. 'We work in ways which are in harmony with the natural environment and anticipate the impacts of climate change. We established the vineyard 15 years ago with grape varieties selected to do well in a warming climate - shiraz, merlot, verdelho and viognier. We specifically designed our vineyard irrigation system and vine placement to produce premium grapes using minimal water, and followed this up with making the vineyard the site of national water management research projects. We use organic fertilizer and have mulched parts of the vineyard to reduce water loss and inhibit weed growth. Guinea fowl roam the vines, helping with insect control.'

Impact of Climate Change on Wine Regions and Grape Varietals

When it comes to climate change, Snow sees wine as the ‘canary in the cage’ for primary industries, for quality wines depend strongly on the unique terroir of each region. 'Terroir' refers to the combination of climate, aspect, soil and vineyard cultural practices which are expressed in the defining characteristics of different grape varieties in different regions. The French have gone so far as to enshrine these classic fits of grape varieties, climate and soil into government legislation, even mandating the varieties that can be grown in particular regions. The onset of climate change may potentially change the terroir of the world's great wine growing regions, for as climate warms grapevines respond; in many regions global warming has already resulted in harvest (or vintage) becoming earlier each year, at a rate of as much as one day per year over the last two decades. While some cooler regions welcome this, it represents a big challenge  for Australia’s wine industry which tends to occupy warmer sites.

The Australian wine industry is responding to climate change: vineyards are modifying grape canopy management to protect against the increasing number of extreme heat days and the fiercer western sun. New irrigation management systems are under development to enhance efficiencies in use of scarce water; this can involve soil moisture sensors and drip irrigation lines that enable each vine to receive the exact amount of needed water at the exact time required.  Mulching to retain soil moisture and build soil health is being encouraged.  Some smaller vineyards are gearing up to replant with new grape varieties capable of coping with the hotter, drier conditions, while larger corporate players are considering moving to cooler areas and establishing new vineyards with different varieties altogether.

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