The culmination of a four year drought over much of south east Australia spoilt what should have been a great party for the Australian wine industry. The national crush was only slightly up on 1999 despite a significant increase in the area of vineyards. The low yield was not balanced by the increase in quality which one would normally expect in circumstances in such as this, particularly in the key regions of South Australia. As ever, in a country as large as Australia, and with so many different weather patterns, there were some exceptions: most of Western Australia had an excellent vintage, Tasmania was outstanding, Southern Victoria excellent, and the Hunter Valley enjoyed its third rain-free vintage in a row, some say its best. Read the Vintage Report state by state: New South Wales Victoria South Australia Western Australia Queensland Tasmania New South Wales
Hunter Valley Zone: Lower Hunter Valley
1999 was the wettest 12 months period in the Hunter Valley since 1990. The winter rain with follow up rainfalls in the spring, led to excellent growth and fruit set, and for once the weather turned fine and remained so through till the end of vintage. The only real questions are whether this was the perfect vintage, and whether it was better for white than red wines, or vice versa. The ratings given may well prove parsimonious. Rating: W 9 R 9 Hunter Valley Zone: Upper Hunter Valley
It was a case of more of the same for the Upper Hunter Valley as for the Lower. The weather stayed dry throughout the latter part of the growing season, largely free of the extreme heat which caused problems in South Australia, and free of the rain which caused such problems on the western side of the Great Dividing Range. Rating: W 9 R 9 Central Ranges Zone: Mudgee
One Mudgee winery said in its newsletter 'we have just finished a rotten season.' Going on to say 'however, we fared better than most vineyards in the district - some lost virtually all of their fruit to disease.' And yet another major producer gave a vintage rating of 9/10 for white wines and 6/10 for reds. Yet another significant player reported 'unseasonal rains hindered ripening and made harvest virtually impossible in some vineyards. The earlier ripening white varieties fared reasonable well and some good Semillons and Chardonnays will be produced. Reds are generally only average at best, especially from the northerly vineyards.' You pay your money, and you take your choice. Rating: W 5 R 3 Central Ranges Zone: Cowra
The unpredictibility of local weather patterns meant that Cowra avoided some (though not all) of the late summer rainfall which caused such problems elsewhere. Many producers were extremely pleased with the quality of Chardonnay, which is without doubt the key varietal for the area and which achieved 13 degrees baume without significant disease problems. That much said, it was a good, rather than great, vintage Rating: W 7 R 6 Central Ranges Zone: Orange
While the season got away to a good start, conditions deteriorated significantly as summer wore on and vintage approached. Rain throughout the lead up to and during vintage diluted flavours, sugar levels and caused the outbreak of both mildew and botrytis. If 1999 was a less than perfect vintage, 2000 was one which every grower in the region will wish to forget. There will, of course, be occasional batches of good wine, with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noirs showing some promise for one or two producers. Rating: W5 R 4 Big Rivers Zone: Riverina
After a promising start to the season, the region was adversely affected by the rains in March and April which extended up through much of western New South Wales. Most affected were those vineyards with high crop levels; those with lower yields were able to harvest chardonnay before the rain commenced, with pleasing results. The season was tailor-made for botrytis semillon, and some great wine will come from this small but important production. The red wines were poor, most failing to achieve satisfactory sugar levels: Rating: W 6 R 5 Southern New South Wales Zone: Canberra District
After the severe frosts which so decimated the 1999 crop, Canberra deserved a better break from the weather gods, and got one. Production was far in excess of the previous record, estimated at 2,000 tonnes, and came with high quality. Senior resident winemaker and sometimes stormy petrel winemaker, Ken Helm, says 'the vintage is in the top three of my 25 years at making wine at Canberra - especially for red.' Rating: W 8 R 9 Southern New South Wales Zone: Hilltops
Overall, crop levels were down, which played a major part in the success of the better-managed vineyards. Inexperienced growers over-cropped young vines, which failed to ripen properly. The white wines are good, though Chardonnay lagged slightly behind the others. There was a great variation in the red wines: superb Shiraz, but extremely variable results with Cabernet Sauvignon. The ratings are for those who succeeded, not those who failed. Rating: W 8 R 9 Southern New South Wales Zone: Tumbarumba
Winter was dry, and the region escaped the killing October frosts which so decimated the 1999 vintage. There was a touch of frost, but it caused minimal damage. Intermittent rain from January onwards posed challenges which were met by those growers with good canopy management and controlled yields, with the result that some outstanding Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was produced. Sauvignon Blanc was the major disappointment. Rating: W 8 R 7 South Coast Zone: Shoalhaven
Not yet available. Back to Introduction Victoria
Port Phillip Zone: Yarra Valley
After what can only be described as a schizophrenic vintage in 1999, the Yarra Valley seems destined to produce excellent wines across the full range of variety and style. The rain which bedevilled the 1999 vintage was followed up by good rain in August and some follow up rain in January, resulting in full dams and good soil moisture. This in turn provided a large measure of defence against the very dry and warm to hot conditions (hot in the relative sense of the Yarra Valley) which prevailed right through from February to late April. These conditions were perfect for the late ripening varietals of Merlot, Cabernet and Shiraz which are quite outstanding. Pinot Noir achieved a high overall standard, but the surprises were the performances of the white wines, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris all doing well. The failures were in vineyards which were either overcropped or which had inadequate water; here the fruit failed to ripen properly. Rating: W 9 R 9 Port Phillip Zone: Mornington Peninsula
More often than not, the core weather patterns for the Mornington Peninsula are similar to those of the Yarra Valley, and this was certainly so in 2000. After a warmer than usual start to the season, early summer rains did more good than harm, and the season then turned unusually warm and dry. As one would expect, this weighed heavily in favour of the red wines which, in the cool, maritime climate of the Mornington Peninsula, frequently lag behind the white wines. This year the roles were reversed, with outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot and Pinot Noir, very good Shiraz, and Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc of significantly better than average quality. Rating: W 8 R 9 Port Phillip Zone: Geelong
What was true for the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula, was equally true for Geelong. The warm, dry conditions which prevailed throughout mid to late summer were tailor made for the red varieties, with Pinot Noir leading the way, but Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon important for some producers, and which hold huge promise. On the other side of the ledger, there were few problems for the white wines, even if the aromatic fragrance of the cooler years will be slightly diminished. Rating: W 8 R 9 Port Phillip Zone: Macedon Ranges
This was the fourth excellent vintage in a row for the region. Being one of the coolest in Victoria, and indeed in mainland Australia, the weather from March through till the end April is critical. This is as true for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dedicated for sparkling wine use as it is for table wines, even though the time window for sparkling wine is earlier and less susceptible to late vintage rainfall. The rating is almost certainly on the conservative side. Rating: W 8 R 8 Port Phillip Zone: Sunbury
The weather around the Melbourne 'dress-circle' behaved in a more or less consistent fashion. Winter rain was followed by a distinctly warmer-than-average spring, which accelerated early growth. A cool spell temporarily slowed growth before the longed dry, warm summer weather returned. There was no disease, and yields were average (around six to eight tonnes per hectare). The red wines had good colour and alcohol, although the pH is a little higher than normal, perhaps due to the warmer nights. Rating: W 8 R 8 Western Victoria Zone: Grampians
Early bud burst was followed by a cold but dry spring, increasing the pressure on the available water storage already diminished by the continuing drought. Good rain between Christmas and New Year was perfectly timed, and partially averted the damage which would have otherwise followed an extremely hot February. Vintage started and finished a month earlier than usual with Chardonnay one of the highlights alongside Riesling. Shiraz too, was very good with typical regional spice, berry fruit flavours and fine tannins. Rating: W 9 R 8 Western Victoria Zone: Pyrenees
Matthew Barry of Mount Avoca says 'Overall, this has been one of the strangest vintages we have had. It was the fifth very dry year, and the season started early with predictions for a very early vintage; however this was not to be'. Or at least, it was not to be in the south of the region, for further north the vintage did indeed finish early. All the wineries are pleased with their white wines, with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay leading the way. Shiraz and Cabernet were likewise good, but the low acid/high pH balance which was encountered elsewhere in Victoria meant acid additions were required for the first time in many years. Overall, the differences in local weather patterns suggest there is likely to more variation between individual vineyards than usual. Rating: W 8 R 8 Western Victoria Zone: Henty
Henty is the proposed name for what was previously known as Far South West Victoria, with Seppelts' Drumborg vineyard and Crawford River wines its best known inhabitants. It experienced a very dry winter and one of the driest growing seasons on record, missing the December/January rainfall which fell throughout much of South Australia and Victoria. Water and heat stress were evident in all varieties, an extremely rare occurrence in this very cool region, and yields were reduced by twenty percent. One or two vineyard blocks produced high quality table wine Chardonnay, and sparkling base material was acceptable. Overall, the white wines fared significantly better than did either Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon. Rating: W 7 R 5 Central Victoria Zone: Bendigo
Once again, Bendigo had a different outcome to its neighbours to the vintage. In broad terms, the weather patterns were similar, with a warm to hot summer resulting in reduced yields and, in most instances, an early vintage. However, rainfall in January and again in March caused major problems with the white wines; it is as well Bendigo is first and foremost a red wine region. Shiraz and Cabernet performed as they did in other parts of the state, with high pH and low acid levels. However, colour and flavour were not compromised to any significant degree. Rating: W 5 R 8 North East Victoria Zone: Rutherglen
After the frosts which so reduced the 1999 vintage, the region had a wonderful start to the season, with an even spring bud burst, excellent flowering and equally good fruit set. However, the potentially high yields which resulted simply exacerbated the problems which started with rainfall which started in January and continued on and off right throughout vintage. The rain came from the same weather systems which affected much of western New South Wales, and led to the widest incidence of botrytis since 1989. The mildews, too, made their mark and it proved very difficult to harvest fruit with adequate sugar levels. Rutherglen's specialty, Muscat and Tokay, achieved reasonable sugar levels but inevitably lacked intensity of flavour. Rating: W 5 R 4 North East Victoria Zone: Glenrowan
The twin to Rutherglen with a very similar outcome. Rating: W 5 R 4 North East Victoria Zone: King Valley
The region's numerous grape growers are putting a brave face on what was a moderately difficult growing season, albeit with different conditions to those of central and southern Victoria. Cool weather in spring led to prolonged flowering, although the subsequent weather resulted in a more even veraison. Yields were generous, and the cool, wet growing season meant lower than usual sugar levels. Some producers gave a higher rating than did others. That which I give is a compromise. Rating: W 7 R 7 Gippsland Zone: Gippsland
Overall, the verdict was quality up, quantity down. The season was kind, with little disease to worry about, the main problems coming from bird attack and water stress. The February heat caused some severe sunburn in East Gippsland, while September frosts and dry soil conditions lowered the crop in South Gippsland. The regions two most important varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, overall performed well. Rating: W 8 R 8 Back to Introduction South Australia
Barossa Zone: Barossa Valley
'Several dry winters in succession, followed by a cool spring which badly affected fruit set, then long periods of very hot weather in January and February combined to reduce overall crop levels by up to a quarter, or even more in some of the older, dry grown vines of the Barossa' says Brian Walsh, Chairman of the Barossa Winemakers. If this were not enough, rain episodes in late February and early March disrupted ripening and harvesting. Due to heat stress and disease problems, white wines will generally develop early and will not exhibit the strong varietal characters typical of the region. Shiraz was the best performed red variety, but even here there will only be small parcels of top quality wine, the overall impression being a lack of sweet fruit coupled with relatively high acidity. Cabernet Sauvignon, always a notoriously fickle variety, proved particularly difficult this vintage. Rating: W 5 R 4 Barossa Zone: Eden Valley
The long drought led to extremely low yields, and the warm weather in February hastened ripening. But, as with the Barossa Valley, rain in March caused some problems. Again as with the Barossa, the outcome for each of the varieties was uneven, with both Riesling and Shiraz, the two staples, ranging from ordinary to outstanding. Unfortunately there was less of the latter than the former. Overall, however, there was a somewhat better outcome for a vintage which struggled across the length and breadth of South Australia. Rating: W 6 R 6 Mount Lofty Ranges Zone: Clare Valley
Dry soils and waters up stress, coupled with alternating hot and rainy weather, meant that only the best-managed vineyards with adequate irrigation and well managed canopies were able to produce satisfactory quality. Conditions were particularly hard on the white varieties with high pH levels and low sugars and acidities. The wines will be broad and early maturing. The odd parcel of vibrantly coloured shiraz and excellent balance did not make up for the overall lack of structure and flavour, with many vineyards struggling to adequately ripen cabernet sauvignon. Rating: W 4 R 5 Mount Lofty Ranges Zone: Adelaide Hills
Warmer-than-normal conditions early in the season resulted in an early harvest, although the diverse topography and site climate of the Hills caused the usual variation from one location to the next. Relatively speaking, there was significantly less water stress, and a lesser heat load. Thus, against the normal run, higher than average acid levels were encountered in the white wines. Chardonnay performed best, with good sparkling base wine being made. The red wines were less inspiring, lacking the sweet fruit of better vintages. Rating: W 6 R 5 Limestone Coast Zone: Coonawarra
Crop levels were down significantly on average, thirty to forty percent for red grapes, and twenty to thirty percent for whites. This was due to a cool spring which affected fruit set, followed by the February - March heat which caused loss of berries and bunches. On the other side of the ledger, the region avoided the rainfall which affected other parts of South Australia until Easter, by which time the harvest was largely complete. The quality of the white wines was apparent from the word go, with both Riesling and Chardonnay performing well. The initial picture for the red wines was not so clear, leading to some early pessimistic vintage ratings, no doubt partially triggered by the low yields. As the wines have settled down in barrel, the quality ratings have been raised significantly for all of the red varieties, headed, of course, by Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The low yields resulted in full physiological ripeness and alcohol degrees of around 13. One example is Lindeman's Limestone Ridge, which produced fifty percent of the five year average yield, and the dense and rich wine is rated as the best since 1991. Rating: W 7 R 8 Limestone Coast Zone: Padthaway
A cool spring with average rainfall was followed by a severe frost in early November, causing significant shoot damage and fruit loss. Christmas/New Year rainfall was beneficial, but thereafter the hot conditions prevailing until March put the vines back under pressure. As with Coonawarra, however, the region was spared the damaging March/early April rainfall. The outcome was an excellent year for white wines with exceptional Chardonnay leading the way, but accompanied by very good Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. The red wines, headed by Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, are good, with sweet varietal fruit character, even if not up to the quality of the white wines. Rating: W 9 R 7 Fleurieu Zone: McLaren Vale
The continuation of winter drought conditions, and a cool, dry spring, led to yields being down by as much as thirty percent. It was also a topsy-turvy year, with one of the longest vintages on record, commencing far earlier than usual and (for some varieties at least) finishing later than usual. As with Coonawarra, there has been some reassessment of quality, but there has also been greater-than-usual variation from vineyard to vineyard. Chardonnay was by and large disappointing, suffering from the hot spell which started in late January, and there has not been much cause to rethink its outcome. Semillon, however, was good, and Sauvignon Blanc fair. It is the reds which have proved to be far better than originally thought. Solid, rich Shiraz from low-yielding vineyards is very good, and all are agreed that the highlight of the vintage is Cabernet Sauvignon. It in fact benefited from the February rainfall, which freshened up the vines and allowed the grapes to fully ripen with blackberry character and ripe tannins. Rating: W 5 R 7 Fleurieu Zone: Langhorne Creek
Langhorne Creek has the huge advantage of virtually unlimited water supply for irrigation, making it largely immune from the effects of drought, its strongly maritime climate also alleviating the otherwise impact of hot weather. Thus is was an exceptional year for Chardonnay and good for Verdelho. Shiraz led the way for what is described as 'quite a strong year for reds, the wines showing sweetness, depth and structure.' Cabernet Sauvignon was altogether less convincing, lacking varietal definition. Rating: W 8 R 7 Lower Murray Zone: Riverland
Happily for the Australian wine industry as a whole, it was a good vintage in this region which produces so much of Australia's lower-priced wines. Bud burst was early and there was no frost, ensuring an excellent start to the year. Even the February rainfall did not cause significant problems, and the mild, dry conditions which followed produced soft and fruity Chardonnay described as the best for some years. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon varied according to yield, with the lower yielding blocks producing wines of outstanding quality for the Riverland. Rating: W 8 R 7 Back to Introduction Western Australia
South West Australia Zone: Margaret River
Yet another good vintage to follow the outstanding 1999 year. Winter rainfall is seldom a problem in the region, but it was even more bountiful than usual in the lead up to 2000. With frost unheard of, the typically mild spring set the vines on their way to excellent crop levels and into a vintage which performed well right across the board. Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay and Verdelho were all very good, with Sauvignon Blanc the only mild disappointment. The red wines were even better, with great flavours in the Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, suffering only slightly in comparison to the near perfect 1999 vintage. Rating: W 8 R 9 South West Australia Zone: Great Southern
As is frequently the case, there was significant difference between the Frankland River, Mount Barker and Albany subregions. Mount Barker Riesling was the stand-out success for the year, Chardonnay varying between ordinary and good. Conversely, the red wines fared much better in the Frankland River region than they did at Mount Barker proper, although here there was some variation between different producer's ratings. The figure of seven given for each of white and red is little more than an average between the extremes of five (the lowest given for Mount Barker reds) and the eights and nines (given for Riesling and Frankland River reds). Rating: W 7 R 7 South West Australia Zone: Pemberton
Like Great Southern, there is significant variation between Pemberton proper and the other emerging region, Manjimup. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc were outstanding in Manjimup, Chardonnay and Verdelho very good there and in Pemberton. There was no consistency between the rating of the red wines, except to say that all seven varieties grown were rated between seven and nine. Shortly put, a very good vintage. Rating: W 8 R 8 South West Australia Zone: Geographe
Like the nearby Margaret River region, Geographe had a near perfect vintage. This reflected itself in the best Verdelho ever seen, excellent Chardonnay and very good Riesling. On the other hand, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were also close to perfection, Shiraz and Pinot Noir less so. Rating: W 9 R 8 Greater Perth Zone: Swan District
A return to earth for the red wines after the excellent 1999 vintage, with white wines pretty much in the mode one expects from this uniquely warm region. In relative terms, Semillon and Verdelho did best in the whites, Cabernet in the reds. Rating: W 6 R 7 Central West Australia Zone: Perth Hills
Not yet available Queensland
Queensland Zone: Granite Belt
The region had exceptionally good growing conditions for the whole season, including rain at appropriate times, excepting for a dry spell in February. It was a cool season overall, avoiding the period of heat which often cause problems, and likewise avoiding vintage rain. Rating: W 9 R 10 Back to Introduction Tasmania
Tasmania Zone: Northern Tasmania
A third excellent vintage in a row, with yield well up on 1999, and a trouble free, dry and long autumn giving excellent flavour characteristics and ripeness. The warm conditions resulted in the earliest start for Pipers Brook in its 25 years of existence, with the sparkling wine base harvested in mid-March and showing great balance and flavour. The overall characteristic of the vintage, extending across all varieties, is the low acid content of the grapes and wine due to the warm year. Andrew Pirie says 'Never before have we seen such soft wines across all varieties. This will make the wine accessible very early.' Rating: W 9 R 9 Tasmania Zone: Southern Tasmania
What applied to Northern Tasmania, applied with even greater force in the south. Andrew Hood, responsible for so many of Southern Tasmania's wines, says the red wines (headed by Pinot Noir) promise to be the best he has ever seen. Rating: W 9 R 10 Back to Introduction | 
Oct 30 2000 | Author: James Halliday
