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Australia. Growing season October–April, harvest usually March–April. 26 vintages of weather, 2000–2025.
Photo: Olivier Lemoine (https://Photo-Terroir.fr), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Over the 30 growing seasons from 1991 to 2020, Barossa Valley's vines saw on average 1,870 growing degree days between October and April. That puts it in Winkler region III, close in heat and rain to McLaren Vale, Margaret River and Sonoma County. In a typical year about 199 mm of rain falls in the growing season, 56 mm of it in March–April.
Since 2000 the warmest season was 2025 (+17% against normal) and the coolest 2002 (-19%). The wettest harvest window was 2007, with 126 mm against a normal 56 mm.
The last 10 vintages (2016–2025) averaged +4% against the 1991–2020 normal, compared with -0% for 2000–2009; 4 of those 10 seasons were warmer than normal by more than 3%.
Growing degree days (base 10°C) for each season. The dashed line is the 1991–2020 normal (1,870 GDD) and the shaded band one standard deviation either side: about two years in three fall inside it.
Full bar: rain over the whole growing season. Dark part: rain in the harvest window (March–April). The line is the normal season total, 199 mm.
Oct 2024–Apr 2025
Much warmer
Hot months: Oct +2.1° Dec +2.0° Mar +3.5° Apr +2.2°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 1 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2023–Apr 2024
Near normal
Hot months: Mar +2.6°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 19 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2022–Apr 2023
Much cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 25 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2021–Apr 2022
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 18 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2020–Apr 2021
Near normal
Hot months: Nov +3.3°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 22 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2019–Apr 2020
Near normal
Hot months: Oct +2.2° Dec +3.4°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 16 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2018–Apr 2019
Much warmer
Hot months: Dec +2.5° Jan +3.1°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2017–Apr 2018
Much warmer
Hot months: Apr +3.9°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2016–Apr 2017
Near normal
Hot months: Mar +2.4°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 20 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2015–Apr 2016
Much warmer
Hot months: Oct +4.3° Dec +3.6°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2014–Apr 2015
Near normal
Hot months: Oct +3.7° Feb +2.4°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 14 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2013–Apr 2014
Near normal
Hot months: Jan +2.0°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 11 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2012–Apr 2013
Much warmer
Hot months: Nov +2.3°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 7 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2011–Apr 2012
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 10 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2010–Apr 2011
Cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 24 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2009–Apr 2010
Much warmer
Hot months: Nov +4.7°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 5 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2008–Apr 2009
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 12 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2007–Apr 2008
Warmer
Hot months: Nov +2.2° Mar +3.7°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 9 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2006–Apr 2007
Much warmer
Hot months: Oct +2.2° Feb +2.7°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 6 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2005–Apr 2006
Near normal
Hot months: Jan +2.0°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 13 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2004–Apr 2005
Near normal
Hot months: Apr +3.3°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 21 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2003–Apr 2004
Near normal
Hot months: Feb +2.6°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2002–Apr 2003
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 17 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
Oct 2001–Apr 2002
Much cooler
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 26 of 26 for heat · Winkler II
Oct 2000–Apr 2001
Much warmer
Hot months: Jan +3.8° Feb +2.0°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 8 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 1999–Apr 2000
Near normal
Hot months: Feb +2.7°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 15 of 26 for heat · Winkler III
| Vintage | GDD | vs normal | Season rain | Harvest rain | Hottest month (mean high) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,200 | +17% | 104 mm | 17 mm | February 31.0°C |
| 2024 | 1,840 | -2% | 164 mm | 27 mm | February 30.7°C |
| 2023 | 1,690 | -10% | 366 mm | 68 mm | January 29.7°C |
| 2022 | 1,850 | -1% | 222 mm | 37 mm | January 29.5°C |
| 2021 | 1,830 | -2% | 160 mm | 30 mm | January 28.8°C |
| 2020 | 1,850 | -1% | 174 mm | 91 mm | December 30.6°C |
| 2019 | 2,090 | +12% | 118 mm | 24 mm | January 32.7°C |
| 2018 | 2,140 | +14% | 112 mm | 23 mm | January 31.3°C |
| 2017 | 1,840 | -2% | 247 mm | 45 mm | January 29.9°C |
| 2016 | 2,180 | +17% | 165 mm | 82 mm | December 30.8°C |
| 2015 | 1,860 | -0% | 205 mm | 91 mm | February 31.6°C |
| 2014 | 1,910 | +2% | 206 mm | 90 mm | January 31.6°C |
| 2013 | 2,040 | +9% | 124 mm | 63 mm | February 30.1°C |
| 2012 | 1,920 | +3% | 173 mm | 29 mm | January 29.8°C |
| 2011 | 1,770 | -5% | 295 mm | 74 mm | January 30.4°C |
| 2010 | 2,080 | +11% | 233 mm | 91 mm | January 30.7°C |
| 2009 | 1,870 | -0% | 229 mm | 84 mm | January 31.5°C |
| 2008 | 1,990 | +6% | 158 mm | 39 mm | January 30.4°C |
| 2007 | 2,050 | +9% | 241 mm | 126 mm | February 31.9°C |
| 2006 | 1,860 | -0% | 277 mm | 77 mm | January 31.6°C |
| 2005 | 1,840 | -2% | 159 mm | 20 mm | January 28.6°C |
| 2004 | 1,820 | -3% | 148 mm | 35 mm | February 31.8°C |
| 2003 | 1,850 | -1% | 151 mm | 45 mm | January 31.1°C |
| 2002 | 1,510 | -19% | 168 mm | 23 mm | January 27.5°C |
| 2001 | 2,030 | +9% | 161 mm | 43 mm | January 33.4°C |
| 2000 | 1,850 | -1% | 286 mm | 82 mm | February 31.9°C |
| 1991–2020 | 1,870 | ±8% (1 SD) | 199 mm | 56 mm |
The closest matches on this site by normal heat and season rain. Similar weather is one ingredient; soils, slopes and grapes differ.
