Canberra’s sudden November cold snap brought a terrible setback to many Murrumbateman farmers, writes ELIZABETH KOVACS.

November’s late frost has taken up to 70 per cent of the crops for the year from some Murrumbateman wine growers, more still for at least one berry farm. 

Leonie and Brett Waldock, of Vineyard 1207, were one of the many winemakers adversely affected by the frost. 

“Bringing a harvest in is no mean feat,” says Brett, who has more than 20 years of experience within the food industry. 

“Only one thing has to go wrong and you’ve lost everything.”

Owning the established vineyard since 2018, the winemakers have seen their vines impacted by bushfires (and the associated smoke), flooding, hail and drought. The frost damage is just the latest setback to strike the region. 

“We’ve lost at least half of our merlot, maybe 60 per cent,” says Leonie. 

Due to the location within a gully, the cold air settled on the merlot vines, effectively burning the leaves and fruit off. 

“This will affect this year and next year’s crop,” says Brett. “There has been damage to the primordial shoot.” 

Carrying the dormant fruiting shoot, the damage will significantly impact next year’s harvest with many of the shoots completely burnt off. 

While some of the vines will survive the impact, many will have used their reserves to generate new leaves after the frost and will not be able to produce enough sugars for the fruit.

“If it’s really bad, we will take the plant out,” says Leonie. 

Unlike other fruit farmers, the winemakers won’t be able to fill in the empty space with a new plant as the surrounding vines have developed roots. 

“We won’t be able to put any new plants in until we decide to replant the entire field,” says Brett. “That’s the joys of farming.

The couple is looking at sourcing merlot grapes from another vineyard to allow them to continue producing the wine. 

Many winemakers within the region are looking at doing the same with anywhere from 60 to 100 per cent of losses expected from the frost.

Brett and Leonie have recently opened their cellar door to the public. The higher-planted chardonnay and cabernet grapes were unaffected by the frost.

The Waldocks weren’t the only ones impacted by the sudden frost, with blueberry farmers, Greg and Nicola Kovacs [the author’s parents] from Bluefields Blueberries, losing their entire season’s crop, about two tonnes of berries. 

Berry farmers are wary of frosts when plants begin to bud, which can freeze off the development of any fruits for that season. 

By the time a bush has lost its flowers in favour of berries, the uncertain period has almost passed with the weather beginning to warm up as the season nears summer. 

Greg says the frost (unusual for this time of year) fractured the cell walls of the forming berry. 

“Once the cell walls have fractured, the fruit dies,” he says.

“Although it is devastating financially, it allows the blueberry bushes to recover and shoot new growth, which will fruit next season.

“We will still be making ice cream from our frozen stock.”

Vineyard 1207 and Bluefields Blueberries will be appearing at local markets with their produce.