2003 The drought vintage

Part 2  Victoria

2003 was a vintage of mixed blessings for many Victorian vineyards. The dry, hot conditions of the drought contributed to significant reductions in yields, sometimes by as much as 50%. Although quality is reported to be good, particularly for red grapes, there will be very small quantities of wine produced. Although this is good for the Australian wine industry as a whole, due to the current nationwide surplus of wine, it is not good news for individual grape growers and small wineries, whose turnover will essentially be halved. Although there will be some financial benefit for the high quality, it won't be enough to offset the reduction of the crop.

In terms of overall quality, the reds have outshone the whites for 2003. In hot and dry years, red grapes benefit from reduced yields and high ripeness levels, resulting in wines of intense colour and flavour with full body and ripe tannin. Whites on the other hand, can lack delicacy and finesse in these same conditions. How a region will be affected by the drought depends on the inherent climate of the region. In summary, the hot regions within Victoria felt the full affects of the drought, with restricted yields and less defined flavours, where as the cool regions achieved good ripeness and flavour concentration. As always, access to supplementary water supplies was critical, particularly in the winter and spring of 2002.

The cool regions surrounding Melbourne are celebrating the quality from the 2003 vintage. In the Yarra Valley, where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate, quality reports are good. The low yields have had a positive effect on quality and the long dry summer resulted in rich and generous flavours. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can suffer unripe characters in cool years, benefited from the hot seasonal conditions. Reports from the Mornington Peninsula are equally encouraging with strong Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Macedon and Geelong are also singing the praises of both their reds and whites.

Regions in western Victoria felt the full impact of the drought, however quality reports were good. In the Grampians region, although the dry conditions put substantial pressures on water supplies, late summer rain provided welcome relief. Shiraz was the star variety, exhibiting both concentration and vibrancy. Although the Pyrenees suffered from extreme reductions in yields, some excellent parcels of Shiraz were produced. The cool region of Ballarat rejoiced in the hot, dry weather with outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With concentrated flavour and good natural acidity, the Ballarat wines from 2003 are strong contenders for cellaring.

Regions in Central Victoria, such as the Goulburn Valley, saw yields down by as much as 40%. However the quality of the Shiraz is reported to be best in five years. Riesling was also one of the highlights from this region, with its strong natural acidity and full aromatics. Bendigo also experienced extremely low yields but the quality of the local Shiraz was excellent

In Rutherglen, the hot and dry conditions were advantageous for the production of fortified styles. Elevated summer temperatures meant that the much-desired high Baumé levels were achieved, however extreme water pressures made the season stressful for many growers. Muscat was the standout variety for 2003, with excellent varietal intensity and concentration.

The wineries within Gippsland experienced varying degrees of success from the 02/03 growing season. Vineyards in the east of the region, that have been experiencing periods of drought for the past 3-5 years, were the hardest hit. Those with no supplementary water failed to pick a crop. However vineyards in the western part of the region reported a good season, particularly compared with 2002, where the vineyards suffered from the opposite problem of a lack of heat.

The hot regions of Victoria, such as the Murray Darling and Swan Hill suffered from both the heat and dry seasonal conditions of 2003. Whilst the white wines exhibited ripe flavours, they lacked finesse and delicacy. Whites from these regions perform better in the cooler years, such as 2002. Due to the lower yields, reds did show good colour and flavour.

So although Victoria did feel the full impact of the drought, there are some gems to be found from the 2003 vintage. For red varieties, ripe flavours and generous body will be the hallmarks of the vintage. Although some white styles may lack a little finesse and delicacy due to the dry and hot conditions, there are some good wines to be found. However due to the best wines being produced in limited quantities, you will need to be quick in stocking your cellar to obtain the seasons best.

© Toni Paterson 2003