Vintage Weather

Australia

Temperature
Cold → Hot
Year Temperature Events Read
2026 No weather read Frost, Heat spike, Low yield Late frosts, heat and inland flooding met the smallest crush since 2000.
2025 No weather read Frost Spring frost and dry conditions cut yields in a red-led rebound year.
2024 No weather read A 9 per cent rebound that was still a small, white-led vintage.
2023 Cool Low yield A third La Nina gave the smallest crush since 2000 and fine flavour.
2022 Cool Frost, Harvest rain A cooler La Nina season produced elegant, structured wines and standout dry rieslings.
2021 Average A cool, stable, disease-free season produced Australia's largest and best harvest yet.
2019 Hot Drought, Heat spike, Smoke, Frost, Hail, Low yield Extreme heat and drought cut yields but concentrated deep, colored reds.
2018 Warm Frost, Heat spike, Low yield Frost and February heat hurt the east, but the west had one of its best years.
2017 Cool A cool, wet, late season produced elegant wines with great natural acidity.
2016 Warm Harvest rain El Nino heat and a compressed harvest still delivered a sensational fine wine year.
2015 Warm Frost, Smoke, Low yield An early, warm harvest hit by frost and wildfire smoke still delivered excellent reds.
2014 Hot Frost, Heat spike, Harvest rain, Smoke, Low yield Frost, record heat, and a huge February rain event tested growers, yet quality held.
2013 Warm Heat spike, Drought A dry, fast-ripening season produced bold reds and richly textured whites early.
2012 Average Low yield, Harvest rain A cool start and dry, steady summer produced early, concentrated harvests nationwide.
2010 Average Heat spike Drought-breaking rain and an even season produced an outstanding, widely praised vintage.
2009 Hot Heat spike, Smoke, Drought, Low yield Record heat and bushfire smoke made 2009 brutal, but cooler regions found real quality.
2008 Warm Heat spike, Harvest rain, Hail A brutal mid-harvest heatwave split 2008 into stellar early picks and damaged late ones.
2007 Hot Drought, Frost, Smoke, Low yield Drought, frost, and smoke taint slashed yields but concentrated deeply colored reds.
2006 Average Low yield A mild season and lower yields produced intense, refined reds across South Australia.
2005 Cool Heat spike, Harvest rain A cool, steady season and record crush produced elegant, fruit-forward wines.
2004 Warm Heat spike, Harvest rain A record-breaking harvest paired with a heatwave and Hunter Valley rain damage.
2003 Warm Drought, Harvest rain, Low yield Severe drought cut yields but produced deep, concentrated Shiraz and Cabernet.
2002 Cool Low yield One of the coolest seasons on record still produced elegant, restrained wines.
2001 Hot Harvest rain A hot summer and a record harvest made 2001 a landmark year for Australian reds.
1999 No weather read Frost, Harvest rain, Botrytis, Hail, Low yield Frost, rain, and disease made 1999 tough, but skilled growers still found quality.
1998 Hot Drought The hottest, driest season since 1910 produced Australia's greatest modern red vintage.
1997 No weather read Low yield, Heat spike Wild swings from cold to record heat made 1997 one of Australia's most uneven years.
1996 Cool A cool, late season rewarded patience with elegant, long-lived South Australian reds.
1994 Cool Heat spike A cool, dry summer produced elegant, lower-alcohol reds with real cellaring potential.
1991 Warm A warm, dry, early season produced textbook, age-worthy South Australian reds.