The Barossa is an ever-evolving region and we are seeing more and more sub-regional blends. They remain in the minority, but they provide an exciting opportunity to examine the region in depth. Combine this with the varying vintage conditions experienced in recent years, and the days where cynics felt Aussie reds were simply ‘rinse and repeat’, year after year, are long gone. A number of vintages were prominent in recent tastings. And while time will tell us just which vintages of the last half dozen years will end up with fabled reputations, you can be certain that 2021 will be very much to the fore. A stunning year, and the top Shiraz and Grenache from the Barossa should be well represented in every cellar – especially the Shiraz. They are concentrated, richly flavoured and destined for longevity. Even better, volumes were also excellent. As with 2018, while all sub-regions made some superb reds, Greenock and Marananga were particularly impressive. Eden Valley was no less exciting – indeed, there is evidence that 2021 might prove to be a contender for vintage of the century for this cooler region. Excellent rainfall early in the 2022 season brought forth hope that we might enjoy that rather rare phenomenon, two sensational vintages in a row. And so it proved to be. Understandably, many top wines from this vintage and its predecessor have yet to hit the shelves, but what we have seen is compelling. Storms did create some havoc but if your vineyards avoided those the overall quality from across the entire region including Eden Valley is thrilling. If Shiraz took the tape in 2021, it is more than arguable that Grenache did so in 2022. McLaren Vale talks a big game when it comes to Grenache, and deservedly so, but the best from the Barossa, and especially from such a thrilling year as 2022, are more than a match. If there is anything wrong with 2023, it is simply that it is not 2021 or 2022. In other times, when we have not been so blessed, 2023 would be a year of excitement, and certainly, there are many superb wines – one assumes many more yet to arrive. If, however, Cabernet is your thing, then this might be the year for you. So far, the top Cabernets often equal or even exceed what was on offer from the preceding two years. This is partly driven by the fact that this was a very late vintage, especially given the new norms, later even than 2002. It is still too early to make any definitive statements on 2024, although there is plenty of excitement among growers. At this very early stage, the preference seems to be for Grenache, with considerable support for Cabernet, although we’ll know more in a couple of years. Shiraz seems a given. There is every reason to believe that there will be many superb wines from this vintage, and growers in Eden Valley seem especially excited.
South Australia 2024
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