As we pass the halfway point of 2024, we present part 1 of our annual vintage report, looking at just how regions across Australia fared.

There are mixed results in V24 with some regions copping erratic weather and climatic conditions that have adversely affected yields and fruit quality. However, there’s optimism that these lower yields will squeeze good quality wines out of this year’s vintage. Speaking of adverse weather, we take a look specifically at frost management in the vineyard in our grapegrowing feature.

We also visit Margaret River for our special regional spotlight. Here, Margaret River Wine CEO Amanda Whiteland provides an update from this dynamic WA wine powerhouse, while we also reveal results from a trial of spray-on mulch that involved the region’s vineyards. We recently lost one of the giant figures of the Australian grape and wine sector, and in these pages we pay tribute to WA’s own Dr John Gladstones, who’s regarded as the “Godfather” of the Margaret River wine region. Staying in WA’s southwest, we’re introduced to a newer member of the Margaret River wine community, Young Gun Dylan Arvidson, whose approach to winemaking and marketing is rattling the cage of convention.

Meantime, winemaker Paul Le Lacheur examines the potential of vaporised hydrogen and dry steam as winery sanitisers, and, for our regular Uncorked column, we jump into the world of Gamay to learn why the jury is ‘still out’ when it comes to its Australian production.

To view the current issue of the Grapegrower & Winemaker, visit our Current Issue page.

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