The 2008/09 year got off to a terrific start, with excellent weather conditions. Plenty of rainfall and cold temperatures ensured good vine dormancy. The growing season commenced slightly later than average with Chardonnay budburst occurring during the first week of September and the other varieties carrying well into October.

The spring growing conditions were very challenging with cool, windy weather combined with consistent rainfall. November was possibly the most inclement we have experienced, and the cool and wet conditions led to very poor fruitset across the later-flowering varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, resulting in very small bunches with significantly reduced yields.

December brought the start of some perfect summer weather and the end of the rainfall. The warm and dry weather conditions continued throughout the summer prevailing right through until the middle of May! It was a classic Indian summer which will go down as one of the most perfect ripening seasons the region has experienced, with no extremes of heat which can negatively impact on fruit flavour development.

We commenced our white grape harvest during the third week of February which was slightly later than in recent years. Our Chardonnay was handpicked over the next couple of weeks in perfect conditions with classic Voyager grapefruit, dried pear and white nectarine fruit flavours. The quality of the fruit across all our Chardonnay vineyards was exceptional and it is realistic to expect something very special when the finished wine is released.

Following on from the Chardonnay, the Sauvignon Blanc was harvested during early March and again the excitement continued as we harvested the best Sauvignon Blanc I have seen from our vineyards, with wonderful intensity and length of flavour. The Semillon was also excellent and will combine with the Sauvignon Blanc to produce an outstanding example of Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.

The Indian summer conditions are generally the best for producing exceptional red wines as the fruit ripens slowly on the vine, allowing sufficient time for excellent tannin development and ripeness to occur. Shiraz is always the first red grape harvested on our vineyards and the season produced ripe fruit with great colours and concentration. The season will go down as a classic for Cabernet Sauvignon. Refined, concentrated fruit flavours of cassis and mulberry combined with fine and ripe tannins will produce outstanding wines with great longevity.

I am happy to say with a certain degree of confidence that overall 2009 was an outstanding vintage. The Chardonnays are one of the best lineups I have seen at Voyager Estate and the reds, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon, look outstanding.