A damp and relatively calm Spring and early Summer boosted early growth, providing full canopies for mid Summer, prior to vintage 2001. Severe drought stress from February through to harvest did not affect berry sizes significantly (in contrast to the effect of the earlier drought in 1998) but it did slow sugar accumulation and hold the flavour spectrum of many varieties at that of a cooler year. Characteristics of 2001 wines tend to be lower alcohol levels and quite powerful flavours which tend towards the floral rather than the ripe fruits spectrum of warmer years. |
