Vintage 2023

It's true what they say about Tasmania. If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes. That was especially true about Tasmania's 2023 vintage. It was cool, wet and late, but with mean January temperature maxima well above average in the Tamar Valley (including Relbia) as well as across the Huon Valley and D'Entrecasteaux Channel districts. 

Adverse weather conditions during flowering and fruit set resulted in low–very low yields of excellent fruit, especially for Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Total wine grape production was very similar to vintage 2022, with 2023's very significant decreases in crop yields partially offset by newer vineyards coming into production for the first time.

Just on 12,390 tonnes were harvested across the State. That amounted to a 0.9 percent share of Australia's total wine grape harvest by volume and around 4.0 percent by total crop value.

Those 12,390 tonnes represented a deficit of 158 tonnes on the volume achieved in Tasmania in 2022, which in itself was 13 percent lower than the 2021 harvest.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay continued their positions of pre-eminence as the State's two most preferred wine varieties. The former is likely to account for around 47 percent of Tasmania's 2024 harvest, with Chardonnay accounting for 26 percent. Sauvignon Blanc (almost 9 percent of the total harvest) was the next most productive variety, with Pinot Gris (around 8 percent) and Riesling (5.5 percent) making up the top five varieties.

Vineyards in the Tamar Valley grew close to 40 percent of all Tasmanian fruit harvested in 2023.

The Coal River Valley (21.3 percent) and North East Tasmania (18.7 percent) also made sizeable contributions to this year's winery throughput.

Tasmanian winegrowers continue to receive good returns on their vineyard investments. Data recently released by Wine Australia shows that buyers in the domestic market paid an average price of $3,377 for a tonne of Tasmanian wine grapes (all varieties).

The national average for the season provides a stark contrast. It was $642 per tonne.

That noted, the financial investments required to fund vineyard establishment and annual operating costs are very significant in Tasmania. A guide to growing wine grapes published way back in 1991 by the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industry stated that a minimum of $700,000 in equity would need to be invested in a 10ha vineyard and winery during the first five years of development if the venture were to be debt-free within 15 years.

Meanwhile, the median price for a typical home in the Hobart suburb of Sandy Bay in 1991 was $161,500.

Industry sources suggest vineyard establishment costs alone are now of the order of $70,000-$80,000 per hectare.

A third consecutive La Niña brought heavy winter–spring rain, delayed budburst, poor fruit set and widespread hen and chicken, keeping bunches light across the island. Waterlogged winter soils slowed early growth and pushed harvest back several weeks in many sites.

Regional snapshots:

North West Tasmania
Cool, moist conditions and a cool, unsettled spring delayed ripening and cut yields, while a comparatively dry summer reduced disease pressure. Pinot Noir and sparkling base stand out for their concentration.​

Tamar Valley
Generous winter–spring rain, high winds at flowering and patchy fruit set produced crops as much as 60 percent below normal. It was the third consecutive year of reduced vineyard yields. A very late, cool ripening season delivered intensely flavoured Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with pronounced fruit characters balancing vibrant acidity.

North East Tasmania
A wet, late winter and early spring with strong wind events to just before Christmas reduced set and delayed the season. Warm, mostly dry conditions from summer into early autumn. A crucially warm and extremely mid-late autumn allowed full physiological ripeness with very elegant, intense and aromatic wines.​

East Coast
La Niña brought a later start, cooler season and increased north‑easterly moisture, impacting flowering and shrinking bunch and berry size. Yields were very modest but quality was excellent across styles, with smaller crops harvested in early April ahead of average to slightly above average autumn rain.​

Coal River Valley
Solid winter/spring rainfall, delayed budburst and prolonged, unsettled flowering period with wind and rain resulted in 'hen and chicken' (a mix of big and small berries) and low bunch weights. Dry, warm conditions from January through autumn – aside from a cold Easter snap – produced disease-free crops. The extended ripening period resulted in excellent flavour development.​

Derwent Valley
A slightly cooler, wetter spring set up modest crops, followed by settled December/January weather was followed by the driest February in 64 years in southern Tasmania. This pattern produced smaller tonnages but highly concentrated Pinot Noir, with picking beginning mid‑March, fairly close to normal.

Huon Valley / D'Entrecasteaux Channel
Cool, wet weather lengthened the season, yet growers describe an outstanding year with a lovely, even growing period. Low yields of around 2.5–3 t/ha saw very late Pinot Noir and Chardonnay harvests (late April into May) produce some outstanding quality fruit for table wine production.