The 2022 Queensland vintage

The 2022 Queensland vintage

The 2022 vintage season in Queensland's Granite Belt was very cool and wet, resulting in below average fruit set and moderated yields. In South Burnett harvesting for whites began in December, and after rain and floods some reds weren't harvested at all.

Granite Belt

The multiple flood events of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales of summer and autumn 2022 will long be remembered, and the Granite Belt was caught right in between. Very cool and wet conditions resulted in below average fruit set and moderated yields, and ultimately in grapes harvested at lower than usual sugar levels. Incessant disease pressure required particular vigilance on the part of viticulturists. Symphony Hill picked shiraz in May for the first time, at just 13 baume, and at the time of writing is contemplating whether its cabernet will ever achieve ripeness. 

Symphony Hill picked shiraz in May for the first time at 13 baume.

South Burnett

South Burnett likewise suffered moderated yields with the white harvest beginning as early as late December in an attempt to take advantage of a narrow window of dry weather. "After that it was pretty tragic," reported Sarah Boyce from Nuova Scuola "with tonnes of rain and floods." Many didn’t harvest reds at all.

Top image credit: Wine Australia.