NORTH East winegrape growers are stepping up vintage to beat smoke rolling in from planned burns around Chiltern at the weekend.
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With 85 per cent of the Rutherglen harvest done, growers were still caught out when smoke blanketed the region.
Debortoli Rutherglen viticulturist Matt Partridge said three planned burns around Chiltern were the major concern.
He said Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) alerted him last week to planned burns within 10 days before a second notification brought that forward to within 24 hours.
"They accelerated their processes," he said.
"We didn't get the communications we would have liked."
Mr Patridge said the North East - including Rutherglen, Alpine and King valleys - lost $140 million worth of fruit due to smoke taint from the 2019-2020 summer bushfire crisis.
"It's a huge amount so a lot of growers were struggling," he said.
"The fruit looks fantastic this year so growers want to get it off quickly.
"I don't think smoke taint will be a huge problem this year but there's always the potential.
"There's also a level of anxiety people will take on board about it."
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Pfeiffer Wines winemaker Chris Pfeiffer said they finished harvest at Wahgunyah on Good Friday but still had other Rutherglen and Upper King Valley fruit to pull in.
He said they had 100 tonnes left to pick at Cheshunt but planned to get 60 tonnes off this week.
"We want to get the fruit out of harm's way," he said.
Mr Pfeiffer said while FFMV communications were adequate, it was pointless if the department wouldn't reconsider planned burns.
"They've started burning in spring in WA but Victoria says it's nowhere near as effective as autumn burns," Mr Pfeiffer said.
"We've got to think about it in such a way that we minimise the impact on all of the industries around it."
Having lost red grape varietals due to smoke taint from the bushfire crisis, Mr Pfeiffer hoped there would be no further issues this year.
FFMV Hume spokesman Aaron Kennedy said planned burning was weather dependant: "Planned burning can occur during school holidays, public holidays and weekends."
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