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2000 vintage report for Pyrenees (Victoria)

Sourced from the Pyrenees region website, www.pyrenees.org.auThe region obtained formal registration for ‘Pyrenees’ as a Geographic Indication early in the year. Despite this important legal registration, we had a season with some distinctly non-Pyrenees weather. Overall, a somewhat unusual vintage — the season started early and with predictions for a very early vintage, however this was not to be. The six-year dry spell continued through spring with all dams being well below capacity. Some rain in October helped and a major fall on Boxing Day (over 5 1/2 inches in 12 hours in some vineyards) added needed moisture to the soil. The very early season was tempered by the unseasonably cool weather in December and January pushing harvest dates back to normal. Occasional showers in autumn played havoc with vintage plans, but fortunately, the generally low humidity and inland weather patterns were able to dry out the vineyards before disease became a major problem.The harvest dates were well spread, with even very close neighbours experiencing several weeks between picking dates. Some vineyards finished prior to Easter while others continued well after. Mount Avoca finished on 12 July with some late picked Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, beating its own record of 8 July the previous year for latest vintage in the region. Fruit quality was varied. The two main white varieties in the Pyrenees are Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and these were generally outstanding. The physical condition of the fruit was excellent, as they were picked early in the season before the autumn rain, and fruit flavours were generally considered to be intense with high aromatics, largely because of the optimum weather conditions over the ripening period. The red varieties varied enormously, largely due to the spread in picking dates and the effect of variable weather; however the quality was outstanding. There was some dimpling of Shiraz fruit in both northern and southern parts of the region and this occurred even where yields were low. Much of the Shiraz was lower yielding, largely due to poor fruitset. The wines produced from Shiraz this year could be some of the best wines produced in the Pyrenees to date, with excellent colour and depth. Other varieties also produced excellent colour and weight with flavour profiles varying from vineyard to vineyard, the wider than usual spread in harvest dates and Baume levels a factor contributing to a year with a high level of vineyard individuality. In summary, it was a year where individual vineyards will undoubtedly produce many outstanding wines, and a year that may see more subtle variation in style within the Pyrenees than most years. A good year to experience the uniqueness and distinctive excellence of wines made from individual vineyards, something that the wineries and wine-makers of the Pyrenees excel at.