2009 Australia Vintage

The 2009 season ran from spring 2008 through the autumn 2009 harvest. In Coonawarra, winter rainfall in 2008 was average, giving good soil moisture for budburst, and spring was dry with minimal frost and no disease pressure. Prolonged flowering, due to cloud and wind in November, caused a noticeable decrease in fruit set in Cabernet and a drop in cropping levels. January brought four consecutive days of record hot temperatures, but healthy canopies shielded most varieties from major damage. Growing-season temperatures were close to average, and slightly below average during vintage, giving the reds a long, slow ripening. Harvest started in mid March, later than recent vintages, and did not finish until early May. Nationally, a two-week heatwave struck most of the country. On Saturday, temperatures hit 48.2 C at Renmark in the Riverland, 47 C at Mildura and 46 C at Griffith, and record temperatures fuelled deadly bushfires in Victoria, causing further losses in vineyards already hit by the heat. The Riverina had been hit by hailstorms early in the growing season, and a spring drought in McLaren Vale had caused major losses to Grenache. The national crush was 1.71 million tonnes in the Winemakers' Federation of Australia's June 2009 survey, down 7% on 1.83 million in 2008 and below the five-year average of 1.79 million, though higher than estimated. The same report called it a good vintage in many regions, despite drought, high temperatures and water shortages.

Initial estimates had put the harvest at 1.7 to 1.8 million tonnes, on par with 2008. After the heat, Wine Grape Growers Australia CEO Mark McKenzie expected about 1.5 million tonnes, 300,000 tonnes less than predicted in December. The Riverland crop was expected to be down 15% to 20%, Darren de Bortoli expected the Riverina crop to be reduced by 10%, and Murray Valley Winegrowers' Mike Stone estimated the Murray-Darling had lost 30% of its expected tonnage. d'Arenberg's Chester Osborn expected McLaren Vale to produce 35,000 tonnes rather than the normal 65,000.

The Yarra Valley was 50% below average, Coonawarra 40% to 50% below, the Barossa Valley 20% to 30% below and Tasmania 20% below, with Clare average.

The Coonawarra Vignerons' own report described the wines as showing great promise, with intense varietal characters, deep colours and soft tannins, and Shiraz with rich peppery aromas and flavours.

• Coonawarra whites: excellent flavour profiles at lower alcohols