2021 Australia Vintage

2020-21 was the coolest season in 10 years, 0.28 C below average, under the influence of a La Niña climate pattern. December 2020 was the third wettest on record for Australia. Fewer heatwaves and good rain at the right time let grapes ripen optimally, and a lack of disease pressure meant low levels of rejected fruit. The La Niña pattern did not bring rain to South Australia: October to March rainfall in the Barossa Valley was 129mm, 42% below average. Some frost damage occurred on 27 September, when temperatures fell to -0.3 C, but many varieties were only just emerging and widespread damage was avoided. November brought four days above 35 C in the Barossa Valley, flowering conditions were quite favourable, and summer was relatively mild, with December recording its lowest maximum temperature since 2014. Barossa ripening slowed in the cooler weather, and harvest continued well into April. Elsewhere in South Australia, a late September hail storm struck the Southern Fleurieu, Eden Valley had significant frost in October and November, McLaren Vale had the equal earliest start of vintage on record, triggered by some February heat, and Coonawarra and Wrattonbully had a late harvest lingering until the end of April.

The 2021 crush was 2.03 million tonnes, the largest ever recorded, 31 per cent above the 2020 crush of 1.54 million tonnes and 17 per cent above the 10-year average of 1.74 million tonnes. Shiraz rose 41 per cent to a record 538,402 tonnes, and Chardonnay rose 33 per cent to 385,114 tonnes. South Australia contributed 52 per cent of the national crush, New South Wales 29 per cent and Victoria 17 per cent.

The Barossa Valley had generally below-average temperatures and close-to-average crops, a welcome relief after two tiny drought harvests. Clare Valley riesling yields were down 30 to 40%, McLaren Vale had healthy yields, the Adelaide Hills harvested a large crop, and warm flowering locked in big yields in Coonawarra and Wrattonbully. Yields were decimated in the Southern Fleurieu, with one estate reporting 60% losses, and in Mount Benson and Robe red varieties were 60% down and whites 30% down, though with no smoke taint.

• Clare Valley: riesling yields down 30 to 40%
• Southern Fleurieu: late September hail, cold and windy flowering; one estate lost 60%

The Barossa Grape and Wine Association called quality exceptional across the varieties and styles, with reds of intense, rich and balanced flavours and colours and whites with lovely aromatics, finesse and great natural acidity: "A vintage for now and the long term." Halliday's South Australia vintage chart reports that one top Barossa maker declared it the best odd-year vintage since 1991. For Coonawarra and Wrattonbully, the chart points to long-enduring reds with red fruits, black pepper, fine tannins and intense colours. In 2025, Katrina Butler wrote of the Barossa: "A true unicorn vintage."

• Barossa: exceptional quality across varieties and styles, according to the Barossa Grape and Wine Association