2024 Vintage Report

Vintage 2024 will be remembered as one of deceptively slow ripening. Although the spring had some warm days, no heat events were experienced for the season with only three 40-degree days through the growing season. It was unusually cool, dry, and mild.

Vintage started with a flurry on March 4th with Riesling from Eden Valley, and a small parcel of Grenache for our Trusty Rusty Rosé from Barossa, as well as our first Shiraz from Barossa & McLaren Vale sites.

Within the first 5 days we had crushed 20% of the vintage total. By mid-March we were picking the later ripening Grenache & Cabernet from Barossa & McLaren Vale, Clare Valley Shiraz was finished, and we had harvested Waterfall Gully Shiraz a full 6 weeks earlier than in 2023.

We hit 80% of our intake by the end of March and had all but finished by the 9th of April with only Eden Valley Grenache & Mataro left, which were harvested on April 29^th.

The growing season was drier and cooler than average with only 176mm of rain falling in the Barossa between September 2023 and April 2024. The season started with some heavy frosts in mid-September that coincided with bud burst and impacted many vineyards across both Barossa and Eden Valley.

The cold weather lasted well into November and affected flowering in Shiraz, but not Cabernet, Grenache & Mataro, which all flowered during a favourable warm spell late in November. With only a few hot days over summer, the temperatures were well below average and the very cool nights in Jan-Feb which were regularly in single digits for the Eden Valley.

This allowed for retention of berry acids and a moderately slow ripening period. A 5-day period in March saw night temperatures remain above 27 degrees. This warm period had a big effect on berry weights and amounted to approximately 30% berry weight reduction in the Barossa just prior to harvest. When berries are soft and nearly ripe, the cool night temperatures are critical to retaining berry acid and weight. With the short warm spell over, we entered a compressed vintage that tailed off to late April in the Eden Valley.

The results of a cool dry vintage show lots of elegance and great poise, with wines showing vibrancy and balance. Whilst volumes were down significantly due to the seasonal conditions, the wines are smashing. Barossa Shiraz is showing well with tasting notes such as “dark chocolate & stone fruits with spicy tannins, rich and powerful on the palate” and “Blue fruits & tapenade with mouth-watering, talcy tannins that are rich, full, and long”. Eden Valley shows typical hints of winter green and rich tannins that are soft and supple.

McLaren Vale had an unusually late start to vintage due to persistent rainfall over the Christmas period. The summer rainfall ensured berry size was larger than normal and crop size was large also. Vintage started March 5th and was about 2 weeks later than average. Fruit ripened in moderate, cool conditions allowing the fruit to remain on the vine for extended ripening.

Cabernet Sauvignon was the last variety to be delivered with our Clarendon fruit coming in on April 9th and was the highlight of the region with lots of cassis, berry fruit and mouthwatering tannins. The Shiraz also showed lots of primary fruits & supple tannins.

Clare Valley experienced a dry and short vintage. Frost was severe in places and adversely effected yields, particularly Shiraz. Low yields mean high quality in red grapes and our Clare Shiraz for Samantha’s Garden & Fields of Joy has plenty of intensity and flavour showing great jammy, dense fruits.

- Written by Richard Langford and Peter Raymond