1999 «««« «««

Dry winter conditions were followed by intermittent rains. Rain fell during November and December but just enough to maintain healthy vines. Barossa and McLaren Vale experienced heavy rains in March and ripening slowed. Despite this, vineyards with good drainage produced fruit of exceptional quality.

2000 «« «««

Dry, cool growing conditions with a hot spell in late January. Rain in late February and early March slowed ripening and vintage. The earliest vintage on record in Coonawarra.

2001 «««« ««

Winter rains replenished soil moistures, which sustained vineyards during a very hot, dry summer. By late February to early March cool, dry conditions prevailed. A very good vintage.

2002 ««««« «««««

A long, cool summer with intermittent rains in Barossa and Coonawarra followed by a warm, dry autumn. A lovely vintage for both reds and whites.

2003 ««« «««

A season of extremes. Drought conditions prevailed over spring and summer. The hot dry weather was interrupted by heavy rainfall in February. Vines struggled to reach phenolic ripeness. Coonawarra enjoyed better conditions with cool summer breezes moderating the growing season. 

2004 ««««« ««««

Beneficial winter and spring rains were followed by cool to mild conditions over summer. Ripening accelerated through a warm Indian summer resulting in near-perfect fruit. Green harvesting kept yields down in Coonawarra. An exceptional Penfolds vintage.

2005 «««« «««

Regular rainfall fell through winter into early spring, establishing good soil moistures and dam levels. Mild conditions, followed by a dry, late summer and autumn led to optimum fruit ripeness. A good Penfolds growing season.

2006 ««««« ««««

Good winter and spring rainfalls were followed by mild warm conditions over summer; 50 mm of rain at the end of February and a warm burst of weather accelerated ripening. Wh le it rained intermittently during vintage, the overall quality of the fruit was excellent. A near-perfect vintage. 

2007 ««« ««««

Drought conditions prevailed over winter and through the growing season. Around a third of average annual rainfall fell, causing soil moistures to dry up. Old vines and unirrigated vineyards struggled through some of the toughest conditions in living memory.

2008 ««««« «««««

A difficult but remarkable year marked by the longest heatwave ever recorded in South Australia. A fifteen- day run of over 35 °C between 3 and 17 March made it a vintage of two halves. In Coonawarra, cool Southern Ocean breezes moderated temperatures. A vineyard management year with outstanding results. A great Penfolds vintage.

2009 «««« «««««

The 10-day heatwave during the end of January and early February caused some concern, but overall mild conditions in the Barossa and Coonawarra leading up to vintage were near perfect. A relatively small crop but very high quality vintage. The earliest start of vintage on record at Magill Estate (3 February).

2010 ««««« «««««

After a wet cold winter, generally mild conditions prevailed during the growing season with occasional heat spikes and cool periods. Open-canopy management and a longer growing season allowed the fruit to ripen evenly with optimum flavour development, tannin ripeness and balanced acidities. A great Penfolds vintage.

2011 ««« «««

Cool and wet conditions prevailed during the growing season, with significant disease pressure. This was a vineyard management year with open canopies and crop thinning to achieve optimum fruit ripeness. Surprisingly good wines were made.

2012 ««««« «««««

Ideal wet conditions over winter replenished so l moistures. Early budburst and flowering, followed by generally mild and dry conditions. A burst of heat in January and an early cool vintage led to a low yielding, but high quality, crop. A wonderful Penfolds vintage. 

2013 «««« «««««

After an early start to the growing season, dry warm conditions prevailed throughout spring and summer resulting in one of the earliest harvests on record. The Magill Estate fruit was hand-picked on 14 and 15 February. While an atypical season, the fruit was exquisitely balanced with superb aroma and flavour intensity.

2014 ««««« ««««

Warm dry conditions prevailed throughout spring and summer. Cooler weather arrived after a heat spike in February slowing down ripening and extending the period between veraison and harvest.

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