Brendan Carr Shares His Thoughts Ahead of the 2025 Vintage
06|02|2025
The sweet anticipation of vintage is in the air. In Karridale, the vines flourish, Chardonnay fruit is ripening to perfection and our team prepare for another incredible harvest. We caught up with Brendan Carr, Winemaker and Operations Manager at Idée Fixe, to get his insights into the upcoming vintage.
The 2025 Idée Fixe Vintage team pictured above
Now in his third vintage with Idée Fixe and marking his 23rd vintage overall, Brendan shares his thoughts on the growing season, expectations for this year’s fruit, and the excitement surrounding new vineyard developments.
How was the growing season in Karridale?
“The 2024 winter was wetter than usual, and we experienced a more traditional, cooler spring. This has allowed the vines to follow a familiar rhythm, a welcome change after the unprecedentedly early vintage in 2024,” Brendan explains. “Last year was one of the driest, warmest, and earliest vintages on record, but vintage 2025 brings with it a sense of normalcy and calm.”
What do you expect the 2025 vintage to look like? Are there any early indicators or unique characteristics that you have observed?
“We’re set to begin hand-picking some of our premium Karridale blocks early next week – nearly three weeks later than last year. The sugar, acid, and flavour balance across the blocks look fantastic. However, with last year’s ‘mega-Marri blossom’ attracting fewer birds to the vineyards, this season is different—there’s little to no Marri flowering, meaning the birds are out in force. Our vineyard crews are working tirelessly, netting as much as they can to protect our precious crops.”
What is the fruit looking like?
“Smells like hope, tastes like dreams,” Brendan says with a smile, summing up the excitement surrounding the fruit this year.
Are there specific plots or clones that you’re particularly excited about this year?
“As always, we’re eager to see more iconic fruit from some of our more established blocks. But what’s really exciting is the significant vineyard expansion of Dijon and Davis Chardonnay clones across our Karridale vineyard in recent years. Each new vintage gives these younger blocks another opportunity to prove their Blanc de Blancs bona fides.”
With harvest just around the corner, the anticipation is building. Stay tuned as we follow the journey of the 2025 vintage, one that promises balance, elegance, and an expression of the vineyard’s unique character.
