It’s an exhilarating feeling as a wine producer to harvest fruit that you have spent the best part of the last 12 months cultivating. The anxiety, worry and nervousness disappears and you look forward to the pleasures about to be created.
Vintage 2023 has been a fantastic outcome for the region’s wine producers and winemakers. When growing winegrapes in the South Burnett you enter into a fraught partnership with Mother Nature. Sometimes she co-operates, other times she can be very difficult. Either way you still have to get your viticulture just right. This season saw frequent rain events during flowering and fruit set which increased disease pressure at a crucial time. If you controlled this period then you were beautifully set up for what was to come from December through to mid-March.
The drier than normal ripening conditions, combined with the cooler nights, lengthened the ripening season which created excellent varietal flavours, softer tannins and delightful crisp acidity all beautifully balanced. It was almost a replica of the excellent drier vintages of 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Clovely Estate’s award winning winemaker Nick Pesudovs (pictured) commented, “A fantastic vintage with some varietal standouts. Verdelho continues to flourish and the Semillon was exceptional. Saperavi and Shiraz will produce amazing wines deep in colour and plentiful flavours. It was a season where both red and whites enjoyed ideal conditions.”
South Burnett Wine Industry Association President, Simon Berry was also very upbeat in his assessment of Vintage ’23 and thought it would have positive long-term implications for the region.
“Not only was fruit quality spot on, yields also increased. We will now have top quality wine in larger quantities. We have an excellent product with vibrant cellar doors. We need to keep reminding the wider public what a great area we have to visit, drop back a gear or two and totally relax and enjoy our food, wine and serenity.”
Spread the word, Vintage 2023 is an absolute CRACKER!!!
