Tough choices, new ideas?

THE announcement of a visit from numerous Vinarchy senior figures, including the chief technical officer, and national grape supply manager, to the Riverland for a meeting with CCW grape growers – as detailed in today’s edition of the Pioneer – may seem similar to a weather forecast predicting a thunderstorm.

The presence of representatives that oversee logistics surrounding the supply of grapes would hint that the content of the meeting is likely to involve intake, and pricing, for the 2026 vintage.

Whispers many have heard that prices for shiraz are set to be below the $100 mark, while speculative, send a message from wineries to the grower that could hardly be more clear: if you want to spend the money growing the grapes, go ahead, but avoid any expectation of seeing profitable figures at the end of harvest.

Market conditions are such that attempting to persevere through to another boom period would cripple – financially and likely mentally – the typical Riverland-scale grower. Again the question probably needs to be raised here of how much impact potential legislation can have on the monetary bottom line, if any.

However, while the grower meeting may be presenting somewhat of a bleak scenario, another CCW initiative is highlighting what is potentially a more prosperous path.

A packed room turning out for the co-op’s Riverland Olive Industry Transition Workshop, at the Berri Hotel, is a sign Riverland grape growers are recognising the proverbial writing on the wall.

While the time for olive trees to come into full production may make this option less attractive to grape growers in the latter stages of their careers, it’s difficult to envision the national demand for olives slowing down any time soon, which possibly translates into sustainable and favourable economic returns.

With time well and truly of the essence as the 2026 vintage looms ever closer, the initiative taken by the CCW board in organising a meeting with such high-ranking Vinarchy figures, and providing viable ideas for the transitioning of crops, are actions that deserve praise.

This idea of a complementary crop to wine grapes is also reflected by another popular local winemaker, who last week planted a patch of Agave at his Barmera vineyard, with a long-term view toward producing tequila.

It is taking time, but the evidence is there that the writing on the wall, that the Riverland grower base can no longer rely so heavily on wine grapes, is being adhered to.

We will undoubtedly see the impact of these strategies in the overall decrease of South Australian vineyards, which was long talked about as the key mechanism in pushing through the current market challenges.