Australia Flashcards
2013 South Australia
the hottest summer ever for South eastern Australia and yields were well down but the vine proved itself relatively resistant to the record temperatures with many varieties ripening in an unusually short period.
2012 South Australia
produced lower-than-average yields in Australia, as it did across much of Europe. This was blamed on high winds, drought and low fruitfulness resulting from the poor 2011 vintage. Quality, however, was much better than in the exceptionally damp 2011, with South Australia avoiding some of the weather extremes experienced by other states. Strong varietal typicality is a commonly cited feature of the 2012 crop.
2011 South Australia
particulary difficult and wet. Many problems with botrytis and mildew. Whites were generally more successful.
2010 South Australia
This was the year that the rain finally came, breaking a long drought. This brought some problems later in the season, with excess rainfall encouraging some mildew, but generally the impression is a positive one across the state.
2009 South Australia
smaller vintage with another blistering heatwave to contend with. Opposite to 2008, the whites suffered most in 2009.
2008 South Australia
An extremely hot year wreaked havoc with reds, but the earlier picked whites look to be good quality, and the Barossa’s oldest vines weathered the heat as they always have done.
2007 South Australia
Very early, very small harvest, shrunk by the killer combination of frost and drought. Reds tend to be concentrated. Clare Rieslings are likely to shine.
2006 South Australia
Rain, very welcome in some respects, interrupted harvest at the end of the fourth successive drought-affected growing season. Limestone Coast Cabernets look promising
2005 South Australia
Large crop of super-ripe wines in which both reds and whites were very successful.
2004 South Australia
Record crop even though the total volume was trimmed by extreme heat just before harvest. Increasingly highly regarded reds.
2003 South Australia
Eerily similar to many European 2003s, these are potent, fast-maturing reds shaped by a drought season with, often, a hole in the middle and very dry tannins on the finish.
2002 South Australia
Poor weather at flowering reduced yields considerably and was followed by an unusually cool summer and a late harvest leading to some high-quality wines. Inland irrigated regions benefited most obviously from this prolonged growing season.
2000 South Australia
Very challenging vintage conditions which included poor flowering, hail, exceptional heat in summer and rain during harvest. There were problems with colour stability. Small crop.
1999 South Australia
The record crop was more the result of increased plantings than any natural phenomenon. Several years of drought conditions continued until summer, which was plagued by some storms which compromised vintage health. A cooler year than 1998.
1998 South Australia
Was then a record crop from an early, frantic vintages despite drought conditions. Some fine reds
