Finally, the Gods – or simply ‘God’ if you prefer – has smiled on Australian wine. It’s been a long time between drinks, or irrigations in this case. In 2010 Australia, well virtually all of it, has a vintage worthy of celebration. Not since 2004 have we seen a season of such consistently high quality across regions and varieties. Furthermore, in keeping with the wine industry’s efforts to wriggle out of a chronic over-supply situation, it’s a small crop of just 1.53 million tonnes, 12% less than the 1.73 million of 2009, which itself was 5% less than 2008’s harvest. Most of the reduction was with white grapes, whose overall harvest was 15% less than 2009, against a red intake only 8% down on the previous vintage. Reds account for 53% of the total crush, whites for 47%.
While some regions have indeed enjoyed exceptional vintages in the seasons 2005-2009, the independent observer would make the call that heat and drought have set most of the quality parameters around Australia during that time. Sure, with the exception perhaps of 2006, Margaret River has indeed been blessed, while varieties like riesling appear to handle the warmer earlier seasons of recent years in their stride. Honestly, though, tasting through even the more highly rated wines from the last five years or so does suggest that perhaps we are collectively not being as critical and demanding as we used to be.
I am very hopeful that the wines of 2010 will help to reset our expectations, perhaps at the cost of downgrading some of what we have bought and cellared recently!
With only a few exceptions, where rain did intervene and upset the season, the 2010 vintage should produce first-rate wine across Australia’s length and breadth. Early indications suggest that Australia’s 2010 wines will have in abundance deep flavours and aromas, elegance and structure. The growing season began especially well, with plenty of rainfall across most regions, cool conditions across most regions, with ample soil moisture and surprisingly generous water allocations across most of the riverland districts. All of this encouraged early vine growth, and despite a very significant heatwave experienced across much of southern Australia in November, flowering was generally quite successful. Rainfall in the latter half November helped ease any resulting moisture stress.
Incidentally, while it’s perfectly ridiculous to call a vintage before Spring has fully sprung, the levels of soil moisture, and the resulting cool soil temperatures that accompany wet soils, can only help set up the 2011 season for something potentially very exciting. Not to draw bad luck on the growers and makers, I’ll now leave that topic well alone!
After the rains, the 2010 season then continued warm, without ever becoming extreme in modern terms. It remained dry, however, with nighttime temperatures generally 1-3°C higher than usual. This set of conditions, with a slightly earlier budburst than traditional, caused an early start to harvest. This time around, unlike most recent seasons except 2004, the vineyards were in excellent health and canopy balance.
A quick tour around the country reveals that New South Wales probably had the toughest time of all the states – thanks to rains that snuffed out high expectations for the Hunter’s red vintage and wreaked havoc through regions like Orange, Hilltops and Mudgee. On the other hand South Australia’s season was perfectly dreamy. Coonawarra experienced its first high-end cabernet season since 2004, while the slower ripening of fruit in the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Eden Valley should produce a wide range of classic wines. Late rains didn’t help the Adelaide Hills’ reds, however.
2010 was a stunner of a vintage in Tasmania, despite some rains early on in the ripening season. Under clear skies, any vine health issues quickly cleared up, and the vintage ripened under fine conditions. Look for exceptional pinot noirs and chardonnays across the length and breadth of the state, plus juicy, pear-like pinot gris and powerfully scented rieslings.
Victoria’s long, slow ripening season was exceptional for whites. Whether the reds make the top grade or not will depend on how long growers and makers waited before harvest. In 2010, it was a case of early is better than later. The cooler regions like the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong and the Macedon Ranges should release some of their finest chardonnays and pinots ever. Look for some ripe chardonnays, fine and elegant shirazes and cabernets from Beechworth, plus powerfully varietal wines from King Valley pinot gris and sangiovese.
Over west was a near-perfect white vintage that was almost as good for reds. A short burst of heat and some late rains had marginal impact on what should be a great vintage, perhaps to be most notable for brilliant semillon, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay from Margaret River plus some very elegant cabernet, especially from the Great Southern.
