Winter rainfall in 2021 was near average for the second year running so that again soils filled to saturation point. Indeed there were follow up rains in October and November which meant that we did not have to tap into the limited reserves in our dam until December. An extreme weather event on 28 October, including hail, caused damage across the Barossa and Eden Valley, but somehow we were largely spared. Frost events had less impact compared to previous years and late flowering avoided the windier conditions leading to good fruit set. The summer months were mild with welcome rain in late January providing ideal ripening conditions. Humid and cool conditions leading into vintage promoted patches of botrytis infection in Block 8 Riesling – this was used to our advantage in making a sweet wine.
Overall, vintage was well paced starting on 9 March with Riesling from block 8 and finishing on the 3 May with Cabernet Sauvignon from block 6.
The 2022 vintage delivered well balanced yields and is a step up in quality from its highly credentialed predecessor.
