south australia
CONTENTS
Includes: Sparkling, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Other White Varietals & Blends, Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Rosé, Other Red Varietals & Blends, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Grenache & Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends, Shiraz & Blends, Sweet White & Fortified.
ANNUS HORRIBILIS
The South Australian year in review, by Karyn Foster.
“Then comes Covid in the middle of harvest. The rug is pulled for everyone on the planet.”
TO cite an old Queen - "annus horribilis" - drought, frost, flood, fire and that was just our vineyards. Corona (not the beer), economic crisis, global dysfunctional politics and social upheaval and returning back to Australia - the China Syndrome (wine sales) thrown in… an apocalyptic 12 months in this the Year of the Rat.
However, as Sidewood's Owen Inglis reflected in his 2020 vintage report, "2020 will go down as the vintage that everyone wants to forget but when the going gets tough…the tough got going".
According to Inglis in the Adelaide Hills; "The start of Spring was looking good enough, although we could have could have used more rain. November came along and for the Hill's and much of the State that was the beginning of the misery. The old timers used to say that by Melbourne Cup day you could kiss the frost goodbye.
Real problem for the Hills was a 40-degree day on the 21st and below zero a week later. Smack in the middle of flowering, the most critical time in any grower's calendar and our precious vines just didn't like that at all. No one recalled what a week like this would do. A month later we all knew. The bunch weights were looking like they would be way, way down.
"Hot dry weather followed and while it caused us all a headache the damage was already done. 20th December we all know about. Hard yards for sure. Sidewood was just plain lucky. Nervous times as we analysed our fruit and taste mini ferments looking hard for smoke. We dodged that bullet and got to breathe again but there's a feeling of survivor's guilt as some of our friends were not so lucky in so many ways.
"Then comes Covid in the middle of harvest. The rug is pulled for everyone on the planet. The wine men and women soldier on through the middle of it but there is no joy and laughter bringing fruit in. We have worked hard all year, let's just get it done. No post-harvest celebration, no fun for anyone.
"The end result? Reduce the yield of your vines by half and you get beautifully concentrated sugars in your
