2007 Growing Season and Vintage Report - by Steve James
The winter of 2006 was one of the coldest experienced at Voyager Estate, particularly during June and July when we experienced quite a few frosts which are extremely unusual considering our close proximity to the Indian Ocean. The downside to these clear weather conditions is usually lack of rainfall and the season was no exception with 2006 having the lowest recorded annual rainfall for the South West of Western Australia.

Given these conditions, the budburst was excellent across all varieties and slightly earlier than average. The spring growing season could best be described as a viticulturist’s dream with warm sunny conditions and unusually light breezes most days. Disease pressure was almost non-existent and the ideal growing season had the vines develop canopies much earlier than any other previous season. This had the effect of bringing the flowering forward by around two weeks.

Flowering moved through very quickly in what could only be described as perfect conditions of sunny weather with temperatures in the mid to high twenties and light breezes. A very good, even fruit-set was completed by late November. Warm conditions through December continued to advance the season and veraison was completed across all varieties by the end of January, indicating a potentially very early harvest.

The 2007 vintage was in fact our earliest ever harvest commencing on 7 February with some clone 95 Chardonnay. Harvest of the white grapes then continued unabated with hand-picking of Chardonnay during the mornings and machine-picking Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc in the cool of night. By March nearly all of the white grapes had been harvested in beautiful warm and dry weather conditions. The fruit was in exceptional condition and displayed bright, vibrant crisp fruit flavours typically reflecting our vineyards.

March brought some rising temperatures which started to speed the reds up and a few 38 degree days in early March saw the start of the reds being harvested. Again harvest was carried out in superb conditions and the season produced outstanding red wines across the board. Rich ripe fruit profiles with fine, ripe tannins will be the hallmarks of an exceptional red wine vintage.

Overall the 2007 vintage and growing season was dry, warm, low-yielding and exceptionally early and has produced wonderful wines across all varieties.