Australian Vintage Report 2004

It was nearly Australia’s first top-class national vintage since 1998, and it may yet assume the title of the best vintage since 1998, but 2004 has indeed failed to live up to its early expectations. At 1.86 million tonnes, it’s certainly a big season; the largest vintage ever recorded in this country. It is 40 higher than its immediate predecessor – the drought-affected 2003 crop – and it was 23 above the previous record of 1.51 million tonnes in 2002. Only as the harvest came in did the industry realise that due to a significant increase in bunch weight over previous years that it was substantially bigger than all estimates. Large as it was, there was still plenty of high-quality fruit left on the vine.

Red winegrape production increased by 38 to 1.07 million tonnes, hitting 1 million tonnes for the first time, while white winegrape production increased by 43 to 794,000 tonnes. Shiraz increased its production by 133,000 tonnes to 442,000 tonnes, so it now accounts for 24 of Australia’s total production. The presently unfashionable variety of cabernet sauvignon in Australia at least increased in production by 92,000 tonnes to 317,000 tonnes, accounting for 17 of total production.

The white harvest was dominated by chardonnay, which recorded an increase of 95,000 tonnes or 41 to 329,000 tonnes compared to 2003. Riesling intake increased by 26 to 37,000 tonnes, but was overtaken by sauvignon blanc, which doubled to 43,000 tonnes.

Whether or not the 2004 season delivered the quality anticipated after a perfect start was largely determined by how individual vineyards dealt with scorching temperatures experienced across the southeast of the nation in mid-February. The rest of the ripening season was generally fine, mild and even, without any threat of rain or disease. Prior to the growing season, the winter did deliver decent rainfalls in many regions.

New South Wales



A terrific white Hunter vintage with some exceptional early-harvest semillon immediately preceded a very ordinary red vintage, troubled again by rain. Mudgee, on the other hand, enjoyed a good late, dry season that should produce some fine reds, especially from cabernet sauvignon. By and large, the vintage experienced by Mudgee and the other New South Wales regions west of the Great Divide was too cool for whites. The Riverina, however, experienced a good vintage for all its table wine varieties with the exception of shiraz, which copped the brunt of the severe February heat. Some excellent whites and cabernets should result.

South Australia



More than any other State, South Australia’s season was particularly affected by the searingly hot spell in mid February. While the later regions were less affected, opinion on the vintage for Barossa shiraz, for instance, varies between ‘good’ to ‘patchy’. It was actually a cabernet vintage in the Barossa and McLaren Vale whose shiraz could be very promising, while another early region, the Clare Valley, was also affected by the heat.

Since fruit development was several weeks behind in the cooler Eden Valley region, this area looks to have been less troubled and should produce some fine red wines, while Langhorne Creek has experienced a signature vintage. Other later regions like the Adelaide Hills and Coonawarra performed well, especially with reds. The best wines, many of which will be cabernets, will come from lower-yielding premium vineyards fully able to ripen fruit in the mild, later Indian summer. Higher-yielding Limestone Coast vineyards are likely to have experienced difficulties in fully ripening their fruit.

Tasmania



Whether or not a particular vineyard made quality Tasmanian wine in 2004 depended as much as anything else on the approach taken towards its viticultural management. If its owners got greedy and missed some pretty obvious signs, they got burned. Fruit set was huge, following massive inflorescences, but January was unseasonably cold. The cold spell lasted until mid February, but many growers unwisely left their potential record crops which in were not uncommonly around three times normal yield hanging on their vines. Some heat in later February and March got the lower-cropping vineyards through to full ripeness, but rain and poor weather began again in late March, well before most fruit was picked. Botrytis was a significant issue, and several hundred tonnes of grapes were not picked. Some were still harvesting in June. Hmmm.

Victoria



Central and northern Victoria produced some impressively flavoursome red wines, while heat and the ongoing drought have prevented all but the best and more mature vineyards in the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula from enjoying good seasons. Generally speaking, it should be a white wine vintage in the cooler Victorian regions. Rains in January helped Heathcote to enjoy a better season than the immediately preceding drought-affected vintages, and if given the chance, its vineyard could have produced reds of more elegance and balance. The northern regions of the state should have produced some good, if possibly heat-affected reds.

Western Australia



One State can actually lay claim to a classic vintage, and that State is Western Australia. It enjoyed its first good winter in several years, replenishing depleted soil moisture levels. The summer was warm to cool and long, and missed out on the serious heat that affected the east of the continent in February. Reds should be good, whites fine and elegant. Highlights include first-rate reds from the Great Southern region of Western Australia, from Frankland River down to Mount Barker. Despite a slightly humid season, Margaret River cabernets are fine and elegant, Please login to post comment