A tale of two vintages: how Canberra's winemakers are heading to harvest

From extreme drought conditions pre-COVID, to COVID itself, through smoke taint caused by the bushfires of 2019-20, the January hail of 2020 and a storm dubbed a "mini hurricane" in 2022 that destroyed at least 10 vineyards, and most recently late frosts in October, 2023, they've seen it all.

"If you look at the last five or so years we've had some of the weirdest vintage conditions we've ever experienced," says Lark Hill winemaker Chris Carpenter, who grows most of his grapes in Bungendore.

"We'd just like a normal year, but we're not really sure what normal is anymore."

Not that he wants to jinx himself but he says this vintage is shaping up well.

"We've got a lovely crop of fruit that is clean and healthy, about six weeks out for harvest at the current estimate, which is about three weeks early," he said.

They did get a touch of frost in October and some hail at Christmas "but baring those things we've had a luxurious growing season".

But such is the fickle industry that is grape growing, things haven't been quite as rosy over on the western edge of the district. The Murrumbateman and Yass-based vineyards are telling a different story.

At The Vintner's Daughter vineyard, Stephanie Helm has lost her crop.

"We got hit badly by the frost in late October and we had significant hail at Christmas that would have wiped us out if we had much fruit left," she says.

"We've gotten used to preparing for wet and dry, but it's a bit hard to avoid frost and hail."

Both Helm and Carpenter are second generation winemakers, Helm's father Ken and Chris' parents David and Sue are considered pioneers of the region.

"You would think with our background these things shouldn't come as a real surprise to us but they still do," says Helm.

She'll still make a vintage, albeit a smaller one, and source some grapes from other regions such as Hilltops.

"After what we've all been through there's a real sense of camaraderie in the industry at the moment and people are always willing to help out," she says.

Viticulturist Thomas Lefebvre, who works as a consultant in many of the district's wineries, says the differences across the region come down to that traditional word "terroir".

He has a theory that wineries closer to Lake George weren't affected so badly by the frost because there is water in the lake.

"The water in the lake acts as a thermal regulator to keep the valley that little bit warmer," he says.

"Traditionally we say Murrumbateman is two weeks ahead of Lake George.

"The theory is the big valley formed by the lake helps with air movement to keep things a little bit cooler in summer as opposed to Murrumbateman."

He says "terroir" is made of all the things that make a site unique, in terms of geology, geography, topography and also in terms of how things are managed by the people who work there.

"The concept of terroir is quite important for wine people since it is reflected in the end product," he said.