Neil McGuigan of McGuigan Wines and Lindsay Whaling from Sandalyn Estate both believe recent rain will have a telling affect on the quality of wine produced in the area this year, with both hopeful the wet weather will now yield.

“It’s been good maturing weather, however the rain has been a concern [and] if it continues mould will become a concern,” McGuigan said.

“The volume of fruit is currently down and I have a feeling volumes overall could be down this year, but that’s just a feeling.”

Whaling is an optimist when it comes to the potential benefits of recent drizzle, believing so long as the unseasonable downpours now cease, they’ve played a crucial part in what could be a thriving winemaking season.

“The rain came just at the right time to keep the moisture in the ground and hold it there long enough to get the fruit off,” Whaling said.

“Providing the rain holds away for the next three or four weeks, I think you’re going to see an excellent harvest for both red and white wines.”

Both say their respective harvests have started earlier than usual this year, with McGuigan having already processed his sparkling white base and started picking his Semillon and Chardonnay fruits, while Whaling commenced the collection of his Chardonnay crops late last week.

Although ultimately rewarding, the process can be an arduous one, with the pair noting the effort and methods used to ensure their customers locally, interstate and overseas all enjoy only the best of what the Hunter winemaking district has to offer.

“It takes six weeks in the Hunter to get all the fruit off,” McGuigan said. “It’s a 24-hour, seven day a week continuous operation.”

“You need to chill them down as quickly as possible. You can’t let too much air get to them or they could spoil,” Whaling added.

While McGuigan said there are “too many things in the balance to tell how good a year it’s going to be”, Whaling believes the calendar gives an inkling as to which wines may be some of the best to flow in 2010.

“Shiraz is sort of the principal red in the Hunter and the icon years of Shiraz have usually been the even years,” he said.

“I don’t think this year will be any exception.”