Vintage Report 2025
Garbin Estate Wines Vintage Report of 2025.
Vintage started on the 13th of January this year, on track with what’s considered a normal start date in the Swan Valley, 12 days later than last year. It was a very warm season, with heat spells spread throughout vintage. Below is the weather report for our region from Winter 2024 to Summer 2025 with majority of observations from Swan Valley and Perth Airport weather stations and finishing with the 2025 vintage report.
Winter 2024 rainfall was close to average to above (10-30% above) average at most sites. Total rainfalls were 350 – 530mm across coastal plain sites, and up to 650 – 730mm in the Perth Hills. Perth Metro recorded 427 mm this winter, 8% above its winter average (396.8mm), and the wettest winter for 5 years (434.8mm in 2019). Swan Valley had 427.4mm total rainfall for winter, 130.2mm more than winter 2023. Mean maximum temperatures in Swan Valley were 19.7, and mean minimum temperatures 9.6, max up 0.9, min up 2.1 degrees.
Pruning started in the middle of June in the Swan Valley and late July in Gingin. We pruned light for a heavier crop and laid extra canes in the Chardonnay.
Vineyard management practices were more or less the same as last season, with a focus on spray programs for susceptible varieties and increased water to keep up with the warm season. The hedging attachment for our tractor was brought down to the Swan Valley for the first time, and the vineyard was hedged which provided more airflow to varieties with larger canopies like the Shiraz. It worked very well and was a big relief as it saves us lifting wires each year from now on. Calcium nitrate was used for fertilizer, delivered to the vines by fertigation (in-line drippers).
Spring 2024 rainfall totals were below average across Greater Perth. Mean max and min across all sites were above average. Swan Valley recorded 123.8mm rainfall, 26.6mm more than 2023. Mean max was 25.5 and Mean min was 11.5, cooler by 1.9 and 1.6 degrees respectively, compared to spring 2023. We saw 16 days over 30 degrees in Spring compared to 29 in 2023.
Summer was another warm one with multiple heatwaves spread throughout the season. Rainfall totals were below average across Perth, averages ranged from 5% - 34%. Perth Metro recorded 9.2mm in summer 24% of its average (38.9mm), although it was the wettest summer since 2020-2021 (43.2mm). Swan Valley had just 1.6mm the lowest of all sites. Swan Valley had 15 days over 40 degrees, the same amount of days as last summer. 
Vintage began with a near normal start date of 13th of January which meant the family could have a little more of a break over Christmas this year, with berry sampling beginning 10th of January. It was predicted throughout the Swan Valley that vintage would probably be on the earlier side again which was about right.
On the 13th we picked Chardonnay for Sparkling base from Gingin, it was noted that this was perfect timing, not too ripe or acidic, congratulations to Peter and Adam on that one. It’s not an easy process getting the baumé just right, and its even more critical for successful sparkling fermentation. Then we went back on the 15th to pick the rest on the Chardonnay base as it was an extra good crop this season. During the processing one of our vintage pumps broke down which wasn’t ideal, thankfully we had a backup which did a great job.
On the 20th January the Verdelho was picked in Gingin at 12.5 baume, again exactly what we wanted. We started earlier that morning (4am), it was a very warm 45.1 degrees that day, so processing wasn’t much fun. Luckily our production equipment is undercover, I don’t like to imagine crushing grapes with the sun belting down on us.
The 24th of January was Chenin Blanc’s turn in the Swan Valley. It was all happening at the Cellar door around this time as we try to build an outdoor extension while in Vintage. Peter had cranes, carpenters and fabricators to deal with and co- ordinate harvest season. Safe to say we had a lot on our plate this summer, testing times.
4th of February saw the Semillon, Chardonnay and Muscat come off at Gingin and was all processed the same day, a huge day and very warm, lots going on with construction too. 
Then it was back to Swan Valley on February 10th for hand picking of the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This was done by our picking team from 5:30am – 2pm, big day for the pickers, they did an awesome job picking the 2 varieties on the same day (but did have the extra help from Adam and I). It only reached a max of 29 degrees so conditions were ideal for the picking team, make hay while the sun shines? Let’s change that to pick grapes while the sun don’t shine. 
Vintage continued February 17th with Shiraz in the Swan Valley, followed by the Old Block Shiraz in Gingin on the 20th of February. The harvester broke its first and only beater of the season in this vineyard and we also had an issue with jamming elevators. New strategies will be put in place next year for smoother machine harvesting of this section of the vineyard.
Lastly, on the 26th February, Waldron Shiraz was picked and 27th Cabernet Sauvignon with some extra Waldron Shiraz, both from Gingin at our Lennard Brook Estate. Pump overs of red wine were in full swing showing great red colour extraction from the skins.
There was another fire up in Gingin this year on Sunday 16th March, after a blaze in Bambun escaped containment lines putting the Royal Australian Air Force Gingin military airfield under threat, the fire jumped lines in Bambun, heading towards Yeal and Coonabidgee in the afternoon. This fire was on the other side of the road to Lennard Brook but thankfully it was put out and no smoke taint or damage was done to our vineyard.
Overall, the family was happy with the outcome of Vintage 2025, yields were slightly below average, but quality was consistent. We're thankful we can still pick fruit and make wine in these testing times for the wine industry.
Thank you for reading. – Joel
With special thanks to all family members for their contributions, Peter, Katrina, Adam and Froy (the border collie).