Vintage 2024 is safely in the shed, and what a wonderful year
The Colours of Vintage 2024
Vintage 2024 - a classic year
Vintage 2024 Weather CONDITIONS
The 2023 vintage was our longest latest vintage on record, 2024 proved to be the complete opposite. Our shortest from first pick to last pick, 46 days. The Barossa Valley did not receive the soaking winter rains we had hoped for. Winter rainfall was well below average, and spring was even drier. We did receive a little rain in December and January, but February had no rain recorded at all. Nuri recorded 326.6mm of rain for the 2023 calendar year, 74% of average. Glen Becker in Ebenezer recorded less than 300mm for the year.. That is low by any standards.
The dry winter and spring made the vines work during the early part of the growing season, and bud burst started in September, three weeks earlier than for the 2023 vintage. September was also 3.4C above average in maximum temperature, so the vines grew fast. With dry springs come clear and cold and frosty nights, and we had some of the coldest nights in recent years, particularly in September and October. Some of our Ebenezer and Eden Valley blocks had significant damage that influenced their subsequent yield.
Veraison in many vineyards was a month earlier than 2023. January finished with average temperatures, but in February, with no rain and the temperature 2C above average, vines ripened quickly, and harvest was away starting with the chardonnay on 15 February. Whites ripened quickly, retaining good fragrance and natural acids. An really good year for the whites.. As for the red varieties, a classic Barossa year with small berries, intense flavourous and vibrancy in all varieties. February and into March remained dry, with many vineyards having more than 40 days with no recorded rainfall. We had an unseasonal heatwave in early March, with 4 days at or over 40 degrees, perfect timing to get some colours in the reds.
Most of our blocks were picked before Easter (end of March) with only the later ripening varieties Grenache and Mataro being harvested into April. In 2024, quality across the board looks exceptional, although yields are variable.
Depending on site and variety, crops are anywhere between 50 and 120% of normal. Ironically, our dry grown grenache blocks were well up on normal, and shiraz was well down. Particular standouts are Grenache and Shiraz, but we did receive some exceptional parcels of Riesling, Semillon and Mataro.
Vintage 2024 in pictures
summary
What a vintage, short, sharp and exceptional quality. A dream run in the vineyards and the winery. Without doubt our smoothest vintage to date in the winery. Andrew is certainly getting the hang of this winemaking thing. The stars were Grenache and Shiraz. Our Grenache looks incredible, crops were very good, flavours are amazing. The dry grown grenache vineyards seem to thrive in this dry warm year. Shiraz crops in general were well down, but the fruit looks exciting and we expect sensational wines when they emerge from barrel in a few years. Cabernet, Mataro and the whites all look good, perhaps our best Semillon for a number of years.
Exciting times ahead.
And sometimes experience and skill does not come with common sense, a white shirt in a winery, surely not. Eeyore would be so proud!