General Manager Jeremy Dineen. Image supplied.

It takes all sorts to make a world, they say.

And a good many of them arrive right on cue as Tasmanian vineyards plan their annual cavalcade of picking days from February until May. Grey nomads, backpackers, industry interns and seasoned professionals, they’re all represented among the hordes that come to harvest and process our precious wine grapes.

For Josef Chromy Wines General Manager Jeremy Dineen, vintage 2020 looked like being business as usual. Chief Winemaker and company boss for 15 years, he was all set to begin vintage work by early February. Eight new temporary employees had successfully completed their induction program on the Relbia site, south of Launceston.

In the 61ha vineyard, grape sugars were rising slowly but steadily as leaden skies dulled periodic sunshine. Then came the hurly-burly of harvest – and beyond that, the unwelcome spectre of a COVID-19 lockdown. In combination, they were to provide Dineen with the biggest challenges of his professional career.

“We lost four of our interns literally in the second week of harvest,” Dineen recalls.

“That was really tough. I’m sure that’s not something you can plan for in the circumstances… I don’t think there’s been any impact on wine quality.

Vintage throws different challenges at you every year. If you can’t adapt to challenges, then you’re in the wrong game.”

Looking back over the trials and tribulations of recent months, the affable GM played a key role in a specially commissioned, 30-minute webinar streamed live near the end of May. Entitled Lessons from Down Under – Three Master Winemakers Share Their COVID Harvest Experience – the online event was recorded and posted on YouTube on 5 June.

Lessons from Downunder. Screenshot courtesy Wine Industry Advisor.

The webinar and subsequent video production are the work of US media company, The Wine Industry Advisor. Based in California, The Wine Industry Advisor is an online trade publication produced by Wine Industry Network (WIN), the leading B2B resource for the North American wine industry.

Sharing lessons with Dineen and moderator Jamie Gilchrist (vintrace winery software) were Nikolai St George (Giesen Group, New Zealand) and Dan Buckle (Domaine Chandon, Australia).

The video provides a rare opportunity to hear first-hand from three leading winemakers who suddenly found themselves having to navigate a safe course through harvest and the March 23, COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed by Australian and New Zealand governments.

“The biggest impact for us was losing half our staff,” Dineen explains.

“We had to find replacements locally. Fortunately, we were able to find someone very experienced in laboratory work. We also found someone who used to work for us many years ago and they were able to come back and work the crush pad for us.

“The other impact we felt was in relation to vineyard visits. Normally either myself or one of the other winemakers would spend quite a bit of time actually visiting our growers… talking to them, working out what we’re going to do with each block (back at the winery).

“Having that direct face-to-face contact cut off was quite difficult. There were a couple of people who could grab a phone and Zoom or Facetime their vines, but it’s not the same as walking through, tasting grapes, and making decisions together.”

In splendid isolation at Josef Chromy. Image supplied.

Amusing at times and filled with vintage insights, the US WIN production is well worth 30 minutes’ viewing. Vintage communications are discussed at length. A little over halfway through, St George recounts his team’s Speight of genius as it tackled the reality of putting into effect social distancing in Giesen’s busy winery.

In another light moment, Domaine Chandon’s Winemaking Director reveals that mandated workplace cleaning and hygiene practices had transformed his company’s lunchroom, which “normally looks like a teenager’s bedroom during vintage.”

“Ours sparkles,” Buckle adds. “That’s given us impetus to keep on top of things.”

For his part, Dineen speaks throughout with the voice of someone clearly used to taking adversity in his stride. That’s hardly surprising. The Hobart-born winemaker is widely respected nationally and internationally.

Back in 2008, Dineen was a graduate of a two-year national leadership program conducted by the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia.

In more recent times, one UK wine correspondent for the Evening Standard likened Dineen to a young Harrison Ford, bringing Tasmanian wines to the world.

The analogy prompts a wry smile from the bloke still intent on charting safe winery passage for the crops harvested this vintage by his company and contract growers.

“Anyone can make good wines in good years,” Dineen notes. “Only a very good winemaker can make good wines in difficult years.”

Make wine yourself

Tasmania’s 2020 vintage may have ended more than a month ago, but the winemaking team at Josef Chromy Wines remains ready to assist consumers with experiencing some off the thrills of bottle-fermented sparkling wine production.

The Tamar Valley company is currently offering a limited number of seats at its Art of Sparkling Experience @ Home, to be delivered via Zoom on Friday 14 August from 6:30pm AEST.

Sparkling trials. Image supplied.

Participants in the one-hour session will go behind the scenes on a virtual tour of the Josef Chromy Winery. There they’ll discover how ‘traditional method’ sparkling wine is created. Along the way, these online tourists will step through the various sparkling wine and disgorging processes, before conducting tasting trials at home with their own specially prepared liqueur d’expedition.

Consumers wishing to take part in this valuable learning experience will need to order an Art of Sparkling pack ($210,, see above) by Sunday 26 July.

Packs can be delivered anywhere in Australia. Each comprises all the essentials required for one or two participants to undertake the hands-on activities being led online. A total of six bottles of wine are included – two bottles each of Josef Chromy NV Cuvée, Sparkling Rosé and Zero Dosage.

The Sunday 26 July closing date for orders will allow time for delivery anywhere in the country.

Participants can rest assured they are not being inducted into roles of apprentice winemakers. Indeed, the organisers are so keen to make the evening a relaxed and informative affair they suggest a little mood music and a small G&T might be appropriate session starters.

Gin pack not included. #supportlocal

Is this your future? Josef Chromy Wines, Relbia. Image supplied.

Hobart’s Mark Smith wrote his first weekly wine column back in 1994. Now more than 1700 features and 25 years later, he continues to chart the successes of Tasmania’s small scale, cool climate wine industry with regular contributions to some of Australia’s leading industry publications.

PICK OF THE CROP

Mark gives you his honest opinions about the best wines available right now from Tasmania’s wine makers.

2010 Milton Chardonnay Pinot Noir $55

Bottle-fermented sparkling wines from Tasmanian vineyards have received critical acclaim for well over two decades, with their quality and value for money continuing to increase as they spend more and more time on lees prior to release. This pale gold, 60:40 blend really shows the benefits of its 9 years on lees. Chardonnay lights the spark, and its complex bready/citrussy flavours fire like skyrockets as the wine flows across the palate. A little bit of Milton magic from Swansea’s Dunbabin family. Lovely. www.miltonvineyard.com.au

2018 Josef Chromy Chardonnay $39

Many winemakers enjoy great success with Riesling in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley. There, the variety performs much like a Swiss watch. Barrel-fermented whites are a different matter. The rewards in the glass are as much dependent upon skills and experience in the winery as they are on seasonal growing conditions. This well-crafted gold medal winner from the excellent 2018 vintage is a neat, well balanced example that delivers its white nectarine varietal characters with satisfying texture and lingering acidity. It improves with time in the glass. Drink or cellar. www.josefchromy.com.au

2017 Sharmans SGR Riesling $30

Sharmans’ sun-drenched vineyard slopes overlook the North Esk River at Relbia, outside Launceston. Not merely picturesque, they are ideally suited to growing elegant, cool climate Riesling. This medium-sweet wine from 2017 is classic example of subtle bottle aged characters adding new dimensions to an already attractive and delicious wine. Rich lime/citrus and honey flavours provide comfort like an old armchair, while balanced lingering acidity sharpens the focus to make it a delight to sip and savour. Stick it in the fridge and enjoy a glass each weekday before dinner. www.sharmanswines.com.au

2018 Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir $34

With the Brown Family Wine Group having more Pinot Noir planted in Tasmanian vineyards than any other industry player, it’s little wonder the company is capable of making consistently good table wines under its flagship Tamar Ridge brand. In 2018, it produced Single Block and Reserve wines from the Tamar Valley in addition to this multi-regional blend. The latter is a more affordable expression of Pinot Noir than its peers, yet still delivers plenty of varietal flavour and complexity. Around 20 percent new French oak in the blend adds a little gloss to a palate driven by ripe cherry and plum fruit. Fine tannins and natural acidity complete a package that can be hidden under the bed for 4-5 years or enjoyed with premium Tasmanian beef. www.galaestate.com.au

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