The 2024 Western Australia vintage
During the 2024 Western Australia vintage, Margaret River experienced its driest and warmest growing season of all time. Geographe had no significant rainfall from October onwards, and following strong winter rainfall, the Swan Valley had an extremely warm spring and very hot summer.
Margaret River
Margaret River had the driest and warmest growing season on record, with very little spring rain and none through to March. These conditions meant next to no disease pressure, an incredible display of Marri blossom removing bird pressure. An early harvest brought marginally lower than average yields of excellent chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. ‘Epic’ is one winemaker’s view of the overall quality of the 2024 vintage.
Great Southern
Great Southern had a wet winter leading into a dry spring, a hot and dry summer resulting in harvest three to four weeks earlier than average. The hot/dry conditions also contributed to minimal disease and bird pressure, and overall excellent quality, chardonnay and pinot noir in particular.
Pemberton
Pemberton had good winter and spring rainfalls, ensuring full dams, followed by dry weather with some heatwaves in the lead up to an early harvest. A moderate to high yield brought in good-quality chardonnay and shiraz.
Geographe
Geographe had no significant rainfall from October onwards. As a result, the vines ripened rapidly and. had the earliest (and very compressed) red vintage on record, and although irrigation was necessary, yields were down 50 per cent. Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are of good to very good quality, malbec also, but it suffered in the heat; and shiraz needed kid-glove treatment to bring out its best.
Swan Valley
After good winter rainfall, the Swan Valley had an extremely warm spring and very hot summer. It also culminated with one of the earliest harvest starts on record, with some growers considering picking prior to January 1. As it was, vintage was well underway across the Valley by mid-January, around four weeks earlier than normal, with the fruit all ripening at the same time. A clear red vintage, with excellent shiraz, grenache and cabernet sauvignon, and the chenin blanc also bringing itself over the line.
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This is an edited extract from the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion, with reviews by James Halliday, Campbell Mattinson, Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Marcus Ellis, Mike Bennie, Philip Rich, Shanteh Wale and Toni Paterson MW. Cover art by Vera Babida.
Top image credit: Vasse Felix.
