Rob Gibson provides our vintage report for 2019;
Rainfall…dry winter and dry growing season…good for harvest.
Available moisture during season…the larger canopies ran out of available soil moisture on lighter soils at Eden Valley and where irrigation was limited in the Barossa, slowing berry ripening later on.
Temperatures…quite a cold spring with frost and a cool march…not good for fruit set.
Varietal responses to seasonal conditions vary under water stress…Shiraz and Grenache love it and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot don’t benefit at all.
Yields were extraordinarily low and harvest began late February as it was delayed through stress.
Eden Valley is always cooler by a couple of degrees which is significant, but soils don’t hold as much moisture for the dry years like this and defoliation results. The northern Barossa has lovely rich red clays which produce outstanding Shiraz grapes in years like this despite frost tendency. Lyndoch areas to the south are quite warm.
Low yield Riesling at Eden Valley is early ripening and inclined to avoid late season weather impacts. The results were good.
Rob Gibson