Winemakers hail an ideal vintage

The vintage is almost over for the year, with most wineries reporting warm dry weather ideal for grape growing.

Cullen Wines managing director Vanya Cullen said the “spectacular” vintage was reminiscent of those in 1994, 2001 and 2004, which enjoyed similar conditions.

“We had all that rain last year and it has been dry since Christmas, ” she said.

“There’s great grape quality and wine quality with spectacular flavour and ripeness.”

House of Cards owner and winemaker Travis Wray said the vintage started off “really intense” and he expected it to continue for about three more weeks.

“Now we’re at that in-between stage waiting for the reds to ripen, ” he said.

“We’ve got merlot in the winery at the moment, and the whites are all done and dusted and finishing off fermentation.”

Fraser Gallop Estate boss Nigel Gallop said it was another great year.

The Margaret River Wine Association president said his cabernet was looking “sensational” and he was pleased with the winery’s turnover.

Mr Wray said red wine grapes were ripening a few weeks earlier than expected.

“It has been a short and sharp vintage this year, ” he said.

“Normally we get rain, which pushes everything back, but it has been really warm and dry.”

Mr Wray said hail in November meant red yields were down.