The 2022 growing season provided plenty of viticultural challenges, with above average rainfall figures experienced throughout the Spring and Summer. Flowering was very disjointed, with cold, windy and wet weather experienced throughout the very long three week flowering period, which created uneven fruit development, disease pressure, and which ultimately led to lower yields and some uneven ripening.
Summer was mild and will be remembered for two major rainfall events in January – of 70mm and 121mm here at the winery – leaving Rutherglen with its wettest January in recorded history.
These two rainfall events put a high level of disease pressure across all varieties, leading us to fruit thin and leaf pluck most of our blocks to improve air-flow and reduce the risk of moulds developing.
February and March were dotted with a couple of rain events, leaving certain varieties close to harvest susceptible to fruit breakdown. The timing of picking was critical to the overall wine quality.
Overall, the season was around 3 weeks later than usual, with the vintage starting on 23rd February with Alpine Valleys Pinot Grigio. The majority of the fruit was harvested in the second half of March and April, with the last fruit harvested on 27th April, again picking before the next rain event.
Quality is high in our white varieties, showing great flavour and plenty of natural acidity, ensuring good longevity in the bottle. The red varieties are reflective of the cooler season, showing more elegance of style, with some highlights across Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in particular.
Our viticultural efforts with our fortified varieties paid off, and despite such a challenging year in the vineyard, we have excellent quality in our Muscats, Topaque and port style wines, with our Portuguese varieties shining through with delicious flavours.
