A very wet start to the growing season and regular spring rainfall kept vignerons on their toes maintaining healthy canopies through to the ripening period. December, January and February were significantly drier and sunnier than the previous months. A considerably later start to harvest this vintage, partly due to the cooler/wetter start to the growing season and also relatively high crop levels.

Semillon was excellent, Shiraz very good.

A vintage characterised by ongoing La Nina conditions created some challenges for vignerons and winemakers. Another year for attention to detail and diligence in the vineyard with regard to maintaining canopy health and controlling yields with fruit thinning, which has certainly again paid dividends with producing nice ripe fruit in excellent condition. The cooler growing season provided a longer ‘hang time’ for the fruit resulting in excellent phenological ripeness.

Semillon was very good while Shiraz was excellent.

After four years of drought the heavens opened up during the 2020 calendar year, with just under 1000mm (250mm above average) rainfall for the year. The La Nina conditions continued into early 2025 resulting in a slow, extended ripening phase. Crop thinning was utilised to ensure we had the best possible chance of getting the grapes to the required level of ripeness. The quality of the reds in particular this year is testament to the quality of these pedigree vineyards.

A challenging vintage for both Semillon and Shiraz. The fourth consecutive year of drought conditions in the Hunter Valley saw the 2020 vintage impacted by smoke blown in from some huge bushfires to the west of the region.

We made the heartbreaking decision to walk away from any vineyards that were potentially impacted by elevated levels of smoke taint. Our final production was down by 60%, but the wines we bottled are of excellent quality. Don’t write this vintage off, the best producers made some excellent wines.

"It’s a hat-trick, 2019 is the third of three consecutive warm and dry vintages, which has given us beautifully clean and ripe fruit; both whites and reds.” – Andrew ‘Thommo’ Thomas.

Semillon is in the classical Hunter style with reduced alcohols, purity and elegance; drinkable now and cellar-able for decades or beyond.

The Shiraz are looking outstanding, with good intensity of fruit flavour and fine tannin structures, they will make for an exciting release in 2021.

A charmed vintage with warm yet optimal conditions. Pure and varietal Semillons with excellent aging potential and although still in the cellar, the Shiraz are also looking exceptional and will be highly anticipated upon release.

An exciting vintage. Hot and dry throughout the growing season, a couple of heat spikes but the fruit ripened evenly and clean.

The Shiraz have excellent flavour concentration looking more on the fuller side of medium body for which the Valley is renowned. The Semillons are ripe, balanced and will age beautifully.

Heavy January rain made for an onerous harvest, fortuitously a very dry February saved the vintage.

Challenging season with some January rain but pristine semillons and elegant reds produced.

Warm and dry throughout, tempered by cool evening breezes. Generous but precise Semillon and concentrated, beautifully structured shiraz.

Perfect conditions resulting in a 'once or twice' in a generation red wine vintage. Arguably the best since the legendary 1965 vintage.

Good spring rain, a relatively warm summer with a couple of late vintage downpours. An exceptional vintage for semillon, and very good shiraz.

Very cool growing season with some relatively challenging summer rainfall. A difficult ripening year, particularly for shiraz.

The Hunter largely missed the unstable weather that hampered the rest of Australia. Relatively ripe juicy semillon and beautifully structured shiraz.

Warm dry conditions led to a low cropping, early ripening vintage. Earlier drinking semillon and nicely balanced shiraz.

Above average spring rainfall led to higher yields. Riper semillon year and perfectly structured, long living shiraz.

Cool ripening season combined with above average rainfall made for a challenging vintage, producing relatively lean semillon. Disastrous for shiraz.

Generally warm and dry conditions prevailed. Low yielding vintage. Fine semillon and relatively ripe and juicy shiraz.

Relatively warm and dry, leading to a great classically styled vintage for both semillon and shiraz.

Quite a hot and dry season leading to very low yields. A compressed vintage producing quite concentrated wines for the long haul.

A nicely even season with reasonably warm conditions and average rainfall producing well balanced wines. Both semillon and shiraz performed well.

A nicely even season with reasonably warm conditions and average rainfall producing well balanced wines. Both semillon and shiraz performed well.

Warm growing season followed by some wet vintage conditions. The best semillons were picked before the rain. Elegantly styled shiraz.

Quite hot early in vintage followed by intermittent rains. Excellent semillon but challenging for shiraz.

Relatively mild growing season, and then some very hot early vintage conditions. Excellent natural acidity and balance.

Beautiful, stable weather made for a long growing season. Outstanding lifted, fragrant semillons and elegant Shiraz.

Near perfect conditions led to this outstanding vintage. Elegant fine semillons and concentrated rich shiraz.

A warm growing season followed by wet vintage conditions towards the end of the harvest. Classic semillons and stylish shiraz.