Australian Vintage Report 1998

While the forecasts hardly got it wrong, the long, dry Australian summer of 1998 failed to produce the drought-inspired low crops of years such as 1983, 1989 and 1995. Now the crop is safely in tank, barrel and even bottle, Australian winemakers and growers can celebrate not only the country’s largest vintage in history, but also a year whose early quality expectations rival 1994 and even 1990. Finally, the industry’s prayers for a large, high quality vintage have been answered.

While drought conditions prevailed over much of Australia during the 1998 growing season, most of the wine regions continued to receive adequate rains just in the nick of time. The pattern of below average rainfall, a cool spring and clear skies helped to ripen fully a large and healthy crop largely unaffected by disease. The country’s crop of 954,700 tonnes is up on the 1996 high by 8 or 72,000 tonnes. This figure includes a massive intake of premium varieties of 646,000 tonnes, up from previous records of around 500,000 tonnes in 1996 and 1997. Premium red varieties are up in volume by 42, the crush of shiraz increasing by almost 50,000 tonnes to 147,300 tonnes. Only chardonnay’s crop was larger, with 173,000 tonnes. Importantly, for the first time in decades the proportion of premium varieties used in Australian wine is almost double that of lesser and dual-purpose grapes like sultana.

The 1998 season was consistently warm to hot throughout most of the southern half of the continent where wine grapes are grown. The consequence was accelerated ripening and earlier harvest than normal, especially in warmer and more northerly and inland regions While warm area white wines may have lost some balance and elegance as a result, the season should have produced some of the best red wines witnessed in years. There’s not a single Australian region whose results should be less than average.

New South Wales

With another very dry and early start to its season punctuated with just enough spring rain to keep vineyards ticking, the Hunter had to wait until early January for its first decent rains. Fortunately the drier weather then returned, helping most of the fruit, reds especially to be harvested in perfect condition, albeit early. Some semillon should be first-class, but most Hunter makers are crowing about their reds. Good spring rains preceded a hotter, drier spring for the central western vineyards around Mudgee, Cowra and Young. Hot, humid conditions resulted in some disease problems, but ripening was rapid and early. Whites are fuller and earlier-drinking styles, but some shiraz and cabernet sauvignon should be eye-catching. The Riverina’s summer was hot and windy, with some sunburned white grapes and a very early vintage. Chardonnay and semillons are very ripe, while red vines struggled under the heat to ripen fully.

South Australia

Entering the season short of moisture, the Barossa Valley’s vineyards received good early rains prior to the progressively demanding summer’s heat. Chardonnay and semillon performed especially well and although some red vineyards found the heat and drought too much of a strain, quality was consistently high. Experiencing more winter and spring rainfall than most South Australian regions, the Eden Valley’s summer was mild, but dry. The rieslings appear to be first-class, but cooler late summer and early autumn weather prevented shiraz and cabernet sauvignon from ripening perfectly. An early spring drenching also set up the Clare Valley for a fine season harvested in perfect, mild weather. Riesling has made fuller, earlier drinking styles than the racy 1997 wines, while the area’s shiraz looks encouraging. It was a stressful McLaren Vale vintage with enough hot and dry weather to make life tough for non-irrigated vineyards. Reds should be better than whites, which tend to lack intensity and character. With a mild start and good December rains, the Riverlands then had a dramatic conclusion to vintage with most varieties ripening together. Whites are generous and round, while shiraz and merlot have produced some good wines. In the southeast, Padthaway produced yet another exceptional vintage with first-rate chardonnay, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, while Coonawarra had an early, even vintage whose cabernet sauvignon is already being compared to those of 1990 and 1991. Shiraz also looks exceptional.

Victoria

Victoria’s season was more consistently warm to hot than most recent years, enabling the cooler southern areas like the Yarra Valley, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula and Macedon to fully ripen their fruit, producing stunning flavours in Yarra cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir. While its reds didn’t reach quite the same standards, some Mornington Peninsula chardonnays look outstanding. The warmer and more northerly and central areas were fully able to fashion the richly flavoured red wines and fortifieds for which they are best known. All regions in central and western Victoria, such as the Pyrenees, Bendigo, Great Western and the Grampians experienced a long, dry summer, without the extreme heat which Melburnians were forced to endure. An early vintage has produced a fine, large and even crop, with exceptional shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, while chardonnay has generally performed better than riesling.

Western Australia

The Margaret River’s vintage was dampened with rains in the middle of ripening and some botrytis problems, but the better vineyards should still produce fine cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay.

Tasmania

The summer’s heat enabled Tasmania to experience one of its best seasons on record, mirroring the 1994 season, even if an early onset of autumn made life more difficult for later varieties like riesling. Northern Tasmania, the Tamar and the East Coast experienced one of their best seasons on record, not only with fruit harvested at textbook composition, but producing remarkable flavours in red and white wines. The Burgundian varieties and the cabernet family should all produce fine wines. Please login to post comment