Despite concern over heavy rainfall in the Hunter Valley three weeks ago, the region reports positive forecasts.

Since the rain passed, the Hunter Valley has experienced temperate (26-28 degrees) weather. Although still cooler than the region’s typical vintage standard, a good strong breeze has dried out tightly bunched fruit, avoiding disease, while the warming temperatures have successfully ripened the fruit.

Lakes Folly Chief Winemaker, Rod Kempe, has commented: “for such a tough year, our cabernet vines currently are absolutely beaming – bring on the sunshine.”

While Bruce Tyrrell from Tyrrell’s Wines reports: “On Thursday, we brought in some of the cleanest and best cropping chardonnay grapes we have had in years. It is going to be a great year for our Vat 47.”

Some winemakers have even gone so far as to say that the 2015 vintage is going to be the quintessential Australian “cracker”!