This time of year is the busiest in all the wine regions of Australia as its vintage.
Vintage starts with the warmer areas of Queensland, the Hunter Valley and South Australia in January and February through to the cooler climes of the Adelaide Hills and Tasmania in March and April. The time to pick as with all crops is weather dependent and there is a window of optimal ripeness when the grapes are at their peak. It’s a great time to visit a wine growing region as they are buzzing with many festivals and wine shows to mark the occasion.
Low yields last year in many of the world’s largest wine growing areas has seen volumes of wine shrink to the lowest levels since the 1960s. This could provide a good market for Australian producers who have seen a run of good quality vintages. China continues to be a real growth area for Australian wine too.
As with all crops, the quality and volume will vary from year to year and this is what makes wine such a challenging and fun product to work with. According to Wine Australia, there are estimated to be 2468 wineries and 6251 grape growers employing 172,736 full and part-time employees across 65 wine-growing regions in Australia, contributing over $40 billion annually to the Australian economy.
The staff at XO Cellars is always happy to help you select a wine based on the best vintages and regions for each variety. Enjoy.
