1999 Australian Vintage

The 1999 season ran from spring 1998 through the autumn 1999 harvest. Winter and spring were drier than normal in most regions outside Western Australia and northern New South Wales. A very widespread frost on 27 October (Decanter gives 28 October) badly affected vineyards in inland New South Wales, Rutherglen, central and southern Victoria and the Riverland of South Australia to Coonawarra; the overall crush was not greatly affected, but growth on many small vineyards was destroyed. Hot weather in December and January caused vine stress in some regions. From early February, patchy but often heavy rain affected most of south-eastern Australia, and heavy March rain caused considerable damage to central South Australia, parts of the Yarra Valley and Tasmania. Very humid days favoured botrytis and other fungal disease, South Australia had steady rain from mid-March through Easter, and the season was comparatively cool with a very late Margaret River cabernet harvest.

• Winter and spring drier than normal outside Western Australia and northern New South Wales
• Widespread frost on 27 October across parts of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia
• Heavy March rain damaged central South Australia, parts of the Yarra Valley and Tasmania
• Margaret River: cool season, very late cabernet harvest

Barossa had a very hot, dry summer that accelerated ripening, then wet conditions in late March and early April; yields were down an estimated 5 to 15%. In the Yarra Valley, James Halliday named near continuous rain in February and March, 122 mm and then 113 mm, as the killer; botrytis was endemic and late varieties had much greater problems. "We were saved by the low crops," Halliday said. Coonawarra, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and the Limestone Coast missed most of the rain.

• Barossa: yields down an estimated 5 to 15%
• Yarra Valley: 122 mm and then 113 mm of rain across February and March
• Coonawarra, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and the Limestone Coast missed most of the rain

The 1999 intake was estimated at 1,177,610 tonnes, the first above one million tonnes and more than 20% above 1998, from new plantings, higher yields in some regions and good management. Shiraz passed 200,000 tonnes for the first time, reaching 207,103 tonnes, while Pinot Noir fell 8.7%, which Winetitles put down to the rain or frosts.

• Crush of 1,177,610 tonnes, up more than 20% on 1998
• National average red yield rose from 10.4 to 11.9 tonnes/hectare

Decanter rated the reds 3/5, a difficult vintage of variable quality, with most South Australian reds short of their customary richness and ripeness. The Barossa report called the year average to good, with exceptional Shiraz, very good Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and standout Eden Valley Riesling. Southcorp chief winemaker John Duval said there was only limited super-premium material. Decanter singled out early pinot noirs from Wantirna Estate in the Yarra Valley and Giaconda in north-east Victoria.

• Barossa: Shiraz exceptional; Eden Valley Riesling stood out
• Decanter: early Yarra Valley pinot noir from Wantirna Estate stood out