Vintage Reports:

2003 Australian Vintage Report
2002 Australian Vintage Report
2001 Australian Vintage Report
2000 Australian Vintage Report
1999 Australian Vintage Report
1998 Australian Vintage Report
1997 Australian Vintage Report
1996 Australian Vintage Report
1995 Australian Vintage Report

1995 Australian Vintage Report

The growing season leading to the 1995 vintage was a difficult one in many parts of Australia, with the lowest yields for several years in most regions, although quality compensated by being mostly high.

The most important factor was the drought, which had continued in many areas since early 1994. (The map, issued by the Australian Bureau of Meterology, shows the rainfall outlook for September to November 1994). The dry conditions did at least reduce the incidence of fungal diseases, and insect pests were also generally low. Other factors were the mysterious "vine decline", or restricted spring growth, which greatly stunted vegetative growth of vines, particularly chardonnay, with the Riverland and Sunraysia being the worst affected.

Spring frosts caused crop losses in the Barossa Valley and, to a lesser extent, Padthaway.

Rain in early March across the south of the continent produced a 'split vintage', with the more northerly, warmer regions harvesting in excellent conditions before the rain. However, in southern Victoria and Coonawarra there was some bunch rot and dilution of grape musts and many vineyards found it difficult to reach target baumés.

Most recent estimates are that the national crush was around 610,000 tonnes, with the yield of white grapes 25% below expectation and reds about 10%.

New South Wales

Hunter Valley
The Hunter had an excellent, trouble-free vintage, although the crippling drought led to very small crops. The very dry winter allowed relatively poor growth after bud-burst, although things improved greatly with good rain in November and December. The harvest took place in February in ideal, dry weather. Semillon is the outstanding white variety, with the best wines seen since the mid 1970s. Shiraz is also superb, if not quite reaching the heights of the magnificent 1991 vintage.

Central West
Mudgee, Cowra and Young followed a pattern similar to the Hunter, with a dry growing season leading to a trouble-free vintage with smaller than average quantities but high quality.

Riverina
A dry year, but one of high quality across most varieties. 1995 was notable for previously unheard-of grape prices - $1300 per tonne for chardonnay, for instance - as producers from outside the region sought to buy fruit and make up their volume losses elsewhere.

Tumbarumba
The alpine region shared with the rest of the continent an unusually dry winter, but the spring was consistently wet, causing some disease problems. Late summer weather was drier, however, and the harvest began two to three weeks early on 6th March, with chardonnay and pinot noir for sparkling and table wines coming in well. What promised to be an excellent ripening period was curtailed by a succession of frosts from 1st April, with the late ripening varieties for table wines coming in at lower baumés than desired.

South Australia

Barossa Valley
September frosts and the continuing drought led to greatly reduced yields, although quality in most vineyards was excellent. Amongst whites, the broader varieties chardonnay and semillon were more successful than the aromatics, like riesling. Shiraz was the outstanding red variety and has proved one of the highlights of the national vintage. The cabernet sauvignons were less successful and many lack richness. The cool autumn delayed full ripening of cabernet and some sites were harvested at lower than ideal sugar levels.

Eden Valley
This area produced one of the great surprises of the vintage. In spite of poor rainfall and low levels of stored water, Eden Valley produced yields above the six year average. A very good fruit set, with favourable temperatures and low winds during flowering, probably set the scene. Quality is excellent, particularly for shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, and riesling performed better here than in other parts of South Australia. The Adelaide Hills followed a similar pattern.

Clare
The Clare Valley had a good growing season, albeit a dry one, with barely subsistence rainfall each month with the exception of December, which was completely dry. Chardonnays are good and there are some attractive semillons, while rieslings tend to be broad and forward. Reds are good across all varieties.

McLaren Vale
A dry, but otherwise trouble-free year led to high quality grapes, but a tonnage of about half the 10-year mean. As in most other parts of the country, shiraz out-performed cabernet sauvignon, while chardonnays were even better than the magnificent 1994 vintage. Sauvignon blanc was disappointing, lacking intense flavour.

Riverland
The winter was one of the driest on record, leading to low soil moistures at the beginning of the growing season. Yields were low across most varieties - a great disappointment, as this region is the powerhouse behind Australia's booming wine exports. It appears that irrigation was unable to overcome low seasonal rainfall, which was barely above half average. However, quality more than compensated. The chardonnays will be the best for many years and shiraz is also very good. Some cabernets exhibit leafy characters owing to a cooler than normal autumn.

Padthaway
This was arguably the most successful region in Australia, when yields and quality across all varieties are considered. This was in spite of several frosts throughout the growing season and uneven flowering across all varieties. Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir are all excellent, with good alcohols, flavour and colour. Chardonnay is better even than 1994, which itself was the best for many years. There is also some excellent semillon and very good parcels of riesling were harvested late for dessert wine after a noble rot infection.

Coonawarra
After a wonderful run of high quality, trouble-free vintages in the 1990s, Coonawarra had a difficult harvest. As elsewhere, the growing season was dry. Flowering was late but successful in all varieties except chardonnay. The ripening period from February to April was cool and overcast, and drizzly rain, which continued from early in vintage, led to some bunch rot and low sugar levels in the later varieties. Coonawarra ran against the national trend, with cabernet wines being more successful than the shiraz.

Given the problems at harvest, the reds have turned out better than expected and should prove superior to those from the 1989 and 1987 vintages. Riesling and chardonnay were more successful than the reds and have strong flavours.

Victoria

Great Western
A dry winter was followed by a hot, dry summer and the lack of soil moisture and limited water storage led to very low yields. Shiraz is the outstanding variety, with extraordinary concentration.

Sunraysia
Like the downstream regions of the Murray River, Sunraysia had a very dry year, with drought conditions prevailing, but one of high quality. Chardonnay is superb. Flowering was late but successful, in spite of strong, hot winds and dust storms in late November. Yields were close to normal, with the exception of sauvignon blanc and some chardonnay blocks.

NE Victoria
As elsewhere in the state, the growing season was very dry, leading to lower than average crops, but concentrated flavours. Muscat and tokay grapes came in at slightly lower sugar concentrations than usual, but have excellent fruit.

Yarra Valley
The weather during most of the growing season was hot and dry, but this changed in early March, with the onset of wet, cool conditions. As in Coonawarra, there were problems with bunch rot and many vineyards were harvested at less than the desired sugar levels. Where care was exercised, the wines are sound and have good flavour, but some lack body and richness.

Drumborg
South-western Victoria had an ideal growing season, apart from gale force winds while cabernet sauvignon was flowering. Wet weather set in during harvest and, while this caused no problems with disease, some dilution of musts occurred. Sparkling wine bases and pinot noir table wine were very successful, while cabernet tends to lack richness.