Vintage Reports, Years: 2004
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2004 vintage report for Tasmania
To keep the Danish royal wedding celebrations going, 2004 rolled in a good vintage for Tasmanian sparkling wine. The cooler season allowed sparkling fruit to retain higher acid levels and the earlier picking times allowed this fruit to be generally clean. Harvest date was reported as two to six weeks later than last year, depending […]
2004 vintage report for Swan District (Western Australia)
The 2003-04 season was characterised by excellent winter and spring rains, which resulted in the best vine growth for several years. There was little rainfall during summer and early autumn, so almost all fruit was disease free. An absence of extreme high temperatures and regular cool evening seabreezes meant fruit ripened evenly, with excellent flavour […]
2004 vintage report for Riverina (New South Wales)
The season produced steady spring and winter rains resulting in healthy, strong vines and good berry set. Summer saw cool mornings and nights with slow ripening, producing excellent clean fruit with no diseases. Unfortunately, just as harvest began, the Riverina was hit with a prolonged heatwave, which caused the vines to shut down. Some vines […]
2004 vintage report for Eden Valley (South Australia)
The average winter rainfall this season was a welcome relief after last years fourth-worst drought in history. The soil profile was filled, as were most dams. A relatively frost free, wet, warm and thundery spring followed, which created a natural greenhouse effect for the vines. They grew vigorously, flowered and, in general, set a large […]
2004 vintage report for Cardinia Ranges (Victoria)
The main feature of vintage in the Cardinia Ranges was the extended mild ripening conditions with few hot days, allowing good flavour development with relative preservation of acidity and slow sugar accumulation. Earlier in the season the region experienced a period of cold weather which delayed shoot growth by about two weeks; ideal flowering conditions […]
2004 vintage report for Canberra (NSW/ACT)
The 2002-03 drought impacted hugely on production. The effects continued to influence the current growing season although 2003/04 got off to a good start with better spring rains than have been seen for some years. Subsurface moisture was assisted by regular rainfall and thunderstorms through until early December. Conditions shifted markedly, as they usually do, […]
2004 vintage report for Clare Valley (South Australia)
The 2004 vintage had its challenges, but the strength of the Clare Valley as a premium wine region has shone through with some excellent wines produced, including some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon seen for several years. Winemakers have also commented favourably on the quality of their Riesling, and there were some excellent parcels of […]
2004 vintage report for Barossa Valley (South Australia)
A heavy fruitset initially had predictions for high yields in the Barossa, but bunch thinning around veraison brought crop levels back to manageable levels with promising quality. A mild January was excellent for optimal colour production and flavour development. Heatwave conditions in mid February saw acidity decline at a rapid rate in conjunction with rising […]
2004 vintage report for McLaren Vale (South Australia)
A longer than usual vintage, attributed to cool conditions during ripening, will produce quality wines. Good winter and spring rainfall ensured even budburst and enabled growers to maintain adequate soil moisture for maintenance of healthy grapevine canopies, from veraison to harvest, contributing to optimum flavour development. A warm dry November saw a rapid flowering period […]
2004 vintage report for Alpine Valleys (Victoria)
The growing season began around 23 September 2003, as the Chardonnay buds emerged to cool conditions, with snow down to 700 metres. This cold period continued during October, resulting in slower than average shoot growth. Rain periods were also frequent throughout October, resulting in unusually high disease pressure, which was managed competently by the regions […]
2004 vintage report for Mount Benson (South Australia)
The 2004 vintage produced the best yields for three seasons. The reds in particular set good crops, but all varieties yielded well. Spring conditions were excellent with good bunch numbers, fruitset and no disease. A dry summer with warm to hot conditions raised the expectations of a great vintage and saw a rapid increase in […]
2004 vintage report for Adelaide Plains (South Australia)
Little rain fell on the Adelaide Plains in the 2003 winter, but good rains came in August and early September. No frost damage was reported and there was only slight wind damagemainly to the top tips of shoots. There was even flowering and fruitset, delivering a good number of bunches in both whites and reds. […]
2004 vintage report for Murray Darling (NSW/Victoria)
From the unusually low-yielding 2003 season, the Murray Valley increased production by almost 30%, to a record 396,000 tonnes this year. Chardonnay maintained its position as the largest single variety, producing 97,000 tonnes. White varieties overall went to 230,000 tonnes, up from 172,000 tonnes. Of the reds, Shiraz accounted for almost 64,000 tonnes of a […]
2004 vintage report for Margaret River (Western Australia)
Weather conditions at the start of the growing season were uncharacteristically cool, but then temperatures increased and the region enjoyed a wonderful year for ripening fruit. Particularly notable were the heatwaves experienced during the first two weeks of January. It was a compressed vintage as a result of some late ripening white varieties and some […]
2004 vintage report for Langhorne Creek (South Australia)
The Langhorne Creek season started well for those on the flood plain, with two good flood events during the growing season. Some frost later in the growing season, followed by two extreme heat days, presented challenges for growers, but otherwise it was a dry season with low disease pressure. Vintage started early and was constant, […]
2004 vintage report for King Valley (Victoria)
Following very hot conditions throughout January and early February, cooler conditions followed, and vintage commenced in late February with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being harvested for sparkling base. The weather pattern settled down in March and April, with moderate temperatures during the day and cool temperatures overnight and, coupled with cloudless days, enhanced colour development. […]
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