Summary
A very small harvest, marked by extreme weather conditions from drought and bushfire to frost and hail, with red grapes most severely affected.
In Western Australia a generally early vintage with intense flavours in reds and whites and good natural acidity.
In South Australia, low yields and small berries in the Barossa Valley’s early harvest produced concentrated reds with very good tannin structure and texture. Yields were also seriously down in the Clare Valley; very high Riesling. In the Eden Valley, Riesling quality is more mixed. It was frosty and dry in the Adelaide Hills; Sauvignon is very...