Australia Vintage 1991 / A relatively hot and dry growing season with warmer temperatures in January led to an early and dry vintage with slightly lower yields but very rich and exceptional red wines, particularly in the Eden Valley.
In 1991 there were 5,747 hectares of vines in the Barossa and 46,911 tonnes of wine grapes were crushed during that vintage.
Australia – and the Barossa – was now firmly focused on exports with a boom in demand from the UK. Orlando’s Jacob’s Creek has become the best-selling wine in the UK.
In Barossa wineries and vineyards, this has improved cash flow, heralding a period of modernization and development. Winemakers turned to methods of objectively measuring grape quality and flavor and experimented with American and French barrel fermentation and cask maturation.
The cellar door at Chateau Leonay was closed and winemakers, including John Vickery, were made redundant or transferred to Penfolds, Nuriootpa.
Wine growers learned about sustainable vineyard management through irrigation monitoring and forest cover management.
An Agricultural Practice Certificate course has been established at TAFE to train vineyard workers and future vineyard owners.
The Orlando Wyndham Group was formed.
New South Wales-based Miranda Wines has purchased the Liebich family's Rovalley Vineyard at Rowland Flat.
The Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation was created by a federal Act of Parliament, replacing the Grape and Wine Research Council. Its mission was to identify R&D needs and provide funding to improve Australia's international competitiveness as an innovative wine nation.
Winemaker of the Year – Ken Semmler