Harvest Report 2024
The lead up to the 2024 harvest saw timely spring rainfall and calm conditions for flowering and fruit set. A mild to warm summer was idyllic, propelling even growth in fruit development.
Harvest commenced on February 1st picking the first components for Woodcutter’s Semillon closely followed by the Marsanne Roussanne and Viognier for Steading Blanc.
Towards the end of February and into early March summer heated up and brought on the final development of our early Shiraz blocks from the southern end of the Barossa in Lyndoch. Shiraz in 2024 shows great typicity with bright colours and fragrance.
With the seasonal heat of March persisting for several weeks harvest accelerated northward through Marananga, key blocks Laird and Descendant displaying the power and dark fruit characteristics of ironstone and clay rich soils before moving on towards the fragrantly spiced subregions of Greenock and Ebenezer.
Grenache vineyards produced good yields after several difficult previous seasons where set was poor. As a result, fruit took longer to ripen and was slowed by the season cooling off. A pause in harvesting for around a week allowed final flavours to develop and tannin to mature in Les Amis and Hillside Grenache blocks.
Now well into April our team saw a final push of the later varieties and regions. As nights cooled to around 10 degrees and daytime temperatures rarely exceeded 22C we patiently waited for Mataro in the districts north of Marananga.
The cooler conditions April experienced amplify in the Eden Valley where extra elevation and light sandy soils retain no warmth delaying our last blocks of Shiraz. The resulting wines are concentrated with raspberry fruits and deep colours and firm tannins. These vineyards will for the subregional contrast in Struie and the single vineyard expression of The Gask.
With harvest concluding on the 19th of April, we are extremely pleased with the strength and diversity of wines made from the 2024 season.
All the best,
Ian Hongell
General Manager / Chief Winemaker
Torbeck Vintners