Australia 2016 – all over already, again

Winemaker Pat Carmody (right) is shaking his head. It’s late February 2016 and his Shiraz crop is nearly ready to be picked. His vineyard, Craiglee, just north of Melbourne, is this year celebrating the 40th anniversary of its replanting (there was a historic vineyard here in the late 19th century) and in all that time he’s never seen a vintage as early as this one.

'Back in 1986 we didn’t pick Shiraz until early May – and it was only 11.5 baumé', says Pat. 'This year it’ll be off by early March – and it’ll be 13-and-a-bit baumé. Can anyone...