After an October frost and a cool spring which resulted in a reduced fruit set (25 per cent down), the Henty wine region experienced a significantly warmer and drier summer than usual. This continued into autumn, bringing forward the (approx.) 838-tonne grape harvest by two weeks. There were some problems with European wasps in the […]
The 2005 vintage began with a thoroughly wet soil profile as a result of good winter rainfall. However, those of us who rely on our dams for irrigation were left unimpressed by the lack of run-off these rains produced. The months of September into November offered average temperatures and rainfall resulting in good shoot growth […]
The season commenced with timely spring rains and moderate temperature conditions resulting in an even budburst combined with generous fruitfulness across all varieties. The growing season throughout the summer months was dry, with two significant rain events. Up to 50 mm was recorded throughout most of the Goulburn Valley in the third week of December. […]
The early growing season was characterised by an even budburst and good flowering and fruit set. Unseasonably heavy rains in February led to greatly-reduced stress on vineyards, with some vineyards going through the growing season with minimal levels of irrigation. The rain was followed up by warm, dry conditions throughout March, April and into May. […]
The 2004-05 season was one of contrasting conditions. It was only slightly warmer than normal with the heat summation being about five per cent above the average of the last 20 years. There were two short periods when the maximum temperatures exceeded 40°C and yet on 3 February the maximum temperature was only 15°C. The […]
The 2005 vintage in Mount Benson could be characterised as a mild growing season, below average yields and very good reds. The winter and spring rains were above average and most vineyards used very little irrigation through the start of the growing season. A late hot and dry summer and autumn created perfect ripening with […]
After a reasonably wet winter across the region the vines burst well with good early shoot growth. As a consequence there were large canopies which played a part in the faster-than-usual ripening period. McLaren Vale had a milder-than-usual summer with very few days of extreme temperatures, resulting in an excellent, even ripening period. Consequently, vintage […]
Langhorne Creek experienced ideal growing conditions up to veraison this year followed by a long ripening period of mild, dry days and cool nights. The absence of weather extremes allowed every red variety, including the more heat-sensitive varieties, to achieve excellent ripeness, character and concentration of flavour. It was an early vintage this year with […]
Coonawarra vignerons are pleased to report that 2005 was a very good vintage with warm dry conditions during March and April concluding the favourable conditions experienced throughout the growing season. The early start to vintage delivered some terrific flavours in the white varieties and this trend was maintained for the red wines with all varieties […]
After only an average budburst, good summer rains and mild ripening conditions enabled an unexpectedly large crop of excellent quality, with good natural acidity and low pH in most varieties. Indeed, some varieties yielded at bumper levels. Weather conditions during vintage were ideal. Whilst bunch numbers were generally down, bunch and berry sizes were up. […]