Burnt offerings
By Jeni Port, December 7, 2004 The Age
The heat and bushfires of 2003 left a terrible mark on life and the landscape of Canberra and north-east Victoria. The conditions also left their mark on some of the wines of that year. As bushfire smoke and haze shrouded the floors of the King and Alpine valleys during January and February - just weeks before vintage - grapevines became a susceptible target, with the smoke somehow entering the plants' system. Maybe it's through the leaves - no one knows for sure until more studies are performed - but one thing is certain, the smoke taint survived the winemaking process and was noticeable in the finished wine. The biggest indicator that something was wrong came after fermentation with a lingering, stale ashtray taste and a hardness on the finish of the wine. MORE->

What a great example of terroir!!