1997 Australian Vintage

The 1997 season ran from spring 1996 through the autumn 1997 harvest. Decanter's vintage guide reports a very wet winter and a healthy spring, but says the very cool 1996 ripening season promoted very low bud fruitfulness. In the Barossa Valley, Winetitles reports that cool spring conditions led to uneven fruit set. Decanter describes rains through the early to mid stages of the season giving way to an extremely long, hot, dry summer in January and February. The WFA survey cites excessive heat in February 1997 and localised frost during flowering in Sunraysia and the Riverland. In the Barossa the vines effectively shut down for two weeks in early March, delaying vintage, before dry, warm 'Indian summer' conditions allowed gradual maturation. Decanter says a cooler March and steadily warm April saved the day for several regions. Mildara Blass's Vic Patrick reported no significant rainfall during harvest except in the Hunter Valley, where 11 to 13 inches of rain caused some problems with maturity. Per the WFA survey, yields for most varieties, particularly red varieties, were lower than expected.

• Decanter: very wet winter, then an extremely long, hot, dry January and February
• WFA survey: excessive heat in February 1997; localised flowering frost in Sunraysia and the Riverland
• Barossa Valley: two-week vine shutdown in early March, then a dry, warm Indian summer
• Hunter Valley: 11 to 13 inches of rain

Decanter found the best 1997 reds in cooler regions such as the Yarra Valley, the Pyrenees, Heathcote and Margaret River. In its account South Australia had the worst of the conditions, and the southeast of the state fared particularly poorly, especially Coonawarra. In the Barossa, yields from established vineyards were estimated to be down by an average of 8%.

• Cooler regions: the best reds, per Decanter
• South Australia: the worst of the conditions, per Decanter
• Barossa Valley: established-vineyard yields down an estimated 8%

Decanter said erratic conditions reduced yields and dramatically compromised quality, with many wines showing vegetative under-ripe and porty over-ripe flavours together. BRL Hardy's Peter Dawson said there were signs 1997 would be one of the best in many years. In the Barossa, Geoff Schrapel of the Barossa Winemaking Committee called Shiraz 'exceptional,' expected excellent Semillon and Chardonnay, and noted Grenache and Mataro produced very good crops.

• Decanter: 2/5; quality dramatically compromised
• Barossa Valley: Shiraz 'exceptional'; Riesling below average after early sunburn

Decanter named the best shiraz from cooler vineyards: Dalwhinnie and Taltarni (Pyrenees), Clonakilla (Canberra), Yering Station (Yarra Valley) and Craiglee (Sunbury). It also named Penfolds' inaugural RWT from the Barossa Valley and Petaluma's Coonawarra Merlot.

• Cool-climate shiraz: Dalwhinnie, Taltarni, Clonakilla, Yering Station and Craiglee