2022 Australia Vintage

The 2021-22 season was another relatively wet one, with La Nina for a second year and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole bringing above-average rainfall across much of Australia and below-average maximum spring temperatures. November 2021 was Australia's wettest November since national records began in 1900. Frost, hail, wind and poor set cut crops in many South Australian and Victorian regions. Severe hailstorms reduced crop potential in the Barossa, Riverland and other regions. A cool summer and low February rainfall generally favoured ripening and gave good harvest conditions. Harvest ran two weeks later than average in the Barossa, with picking into May, and the Adelaide Hills had its latest harvest since 2011.

• November 2021 was Australia's wettest November since national records began in 1900
• Severe hailstorms reduced crop potential in the Barossa, Riverland and other regions
• Barossa picked two weeks later than average, into May
• National crush 1.73 million tonnes, 2 percent below the 10-year average

The season was cool in the Barossa and Eden Valleys. In Eden Valley the October hailstorm was the worst in living memory, then mild, dry days of below-average temperatures and cold nights from February to April ripened low but intense crops; Stephen Henschke called it "A later vintage suiting both riesling and shiraz perfectly." Clare Valley had mild, sunny days with no rain or humidity, and Halliday Wine Companion judged it a vintage of both quality and quantity after three lean years; Clare was the only one of the top 10 South Australian regions to crush more than in 2021. In McLaren Vale inconsistent set cut yields by about 15 percent on 2021. Coonawarra had a cool season and good yields, with Halliday naming cabernet sauvignon the predictable standout.

• Eden Valley: the October hailstorm was the worst in living memory
• Clare Valley: Halliday judged it a vintage of quality and quantity after three lean years
• Decanter rated the Barossa Shiraz 2022 overall vintage 4/5, calling it a strong vintage with fruit of superb quality despite small yields

Storms, hail and extreme conditions hit Victorian yields, alongside disease pressure. Miserable flowering and spring rains cut Yarra Valley yields to 30 to 40 percent below average, but cool, dry conditions led to a late harvest of chardonnay with high natural acidity. On the Mornington Peninsula a 100km/h flowering storm cut yields by up to 60 percent in some sites. Geelong fruit was concentrated and powerful at about half the usual crop levels. In the Macedon Ranges, Michael Dhillon listed 2022 among the seven toughest seasons since his family planted their Bindi vineyard in 1988.

• Yarra Valley: yields 30 to 40 percent below average; late harvest of chardonnay with high natural acidity
• Mornington Peninsula: a 100km/h storm at flowering cut yields by up to 60 percent in some sites
• Heathcote: very close to average yields

The national yield was just under 12 tonnes per hectare, slightly below the 10-year average. The smaller crush was likely due to seasonal effects as well as market conditions and winery capacity limits after the record 2021. South Australia crushed 51 percent of the total, down 15 percent on 2021; New South Wales fell 14 percent and Victoria 12 percent, while Western Australia rose 3 percent.

• South Australia 51 percent of the crush, down 15 percent; Western Australia up 3 percent
• Shiraz 433,305 tonnes, down 19 percent; Chardonnay 358,007 tonnes, down 6 percent