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Although it is early in the year, the first predictions given by the INV (National Winemaking Institute) on a national level forecast a 26% country wide production increase, which would make the 2013 harvest close to 28 billion quintals.
In the specific case of Mendoza province, the INV forecasts that production will increase by more than the national average, reaching 29%.
In our case, given that our vines were not that affected in the previous harvest, 17% growth compared to the 2012 harvest is forecasted.
Up to now, health is very good, with a drought that came during the spring and lasted until the first days of January 2013, normal to high temperatures, including some episodes of the "Zonda" winds at the end of December. Since then, the weather has been unstable with quite a lot of rain and days that alternate between warm and fresh.
In the Maipú area we had average temperatures of 22.16 °C between October 2012 and February 4, 2013. Average minimum temperatures of 15.32 °C and maximum of 29.36 °C. The same parameters for Altamira gave us 19.15 °C, 11.56 °C and maximum temperature of 26.42 °C.
With regards to the qualitative factor, it is still too early to make an accurate assessment. There isn't anything that suggests this won't be a good year with regards to quality. Despite some exceptions, we have generally had better availability of water that has helped form canopies with a good leaf/fruit ratio necessary to achieve the correct ripening. Everything else basically depends on the temperatures of the month prior to harvest. If the average temperatures are fresh, close to 21 °C, we get grapes with high potential. Quantitatively speaking, the elements that influence grape quality in a determining manner are in the main produced by the same grape, therefore, the microclimate where bunches are developed during the ripening stage can also be determining.
Health for the moment is good, and close control using preventative downy mildew treatments should be continued, as well as monitoring of acidic rotting outbreaks in sensitive varieties given the latest rainfall data in Mendoza, San Juan and Salta.
Our records suggest that the harvest could be slightly early compared to 2012.
Daniel Pi - Chief winemaker
Marcelo Belmonte - Viticulture Director
