GRAPE harvest is continuing in earnest within the Alpine Shire, with early morning harvesting of vines and frenetic processing of the fruit at wineries throughout the Alpine Valleys.
Billy Button Wines' managing director and winemaker, Jo Marsh, said this year's combination of rainfall and the even, steady heat has led to an exceptional vintage.
"The warm, dry autumn has seen everything continue along quite nicely, and the vines have loved the recent rains," she said.
"We're happy to report that we're likely to be done by Easter, which is a very rare thing in the wine industry."
Ms Marsh said the winery had harvested its first grapes for a sparkling base in January, which "is unheard of for the history of Billy Button Wines over the last 10 years".
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"The earliest we had picked in the past was around the 8 February.
"With it having been quite a wet spring, it was looking like a 'high disease pressure' year, however, the rain went away in January and it turned into a long, hot summer.
"This has meant all the different varieties ripened quite close together.
"It has been busier than usual processing the wealth of quality fruit that we've been receiving into the winery.
"Vintage is always made up of long days and hard work to make the magic happen."
Ms Marsh said quality of fruit has remained of a high calibre across the Alpine Valleys and it has been a "higher yielding year for our growers this year".
"Having a number of different sub climates in the Alpine Valleys, we are able to grow many different varieties, from the mainstream and well known varieties to the lesser known alternative varieties like Schioppettino, Refosco and Verduzzo."
Ms Marsh said Billy Button's production of small parcels of certain varieties was headed for domestic consumption.
"We have our loyal wine club members, who we ensure have first access to our new releases, local wholesale with many small businesses supporting our wines and distribution along the eastern coast and can be found mainly in Victoria, NSW and Queensland," she said.
Similarly, Gapsted Estate's vintage this year will predominantly be for the Australian market, via the winery's cellar door and online wine store, along will select independent retailers.
However marketing manager Hannah Minetti said the winery was also "continuing to build our presence in export markets".
She said several local growers, as well as the estate's own vineyards provide the grapes, with Sapervi always a highlight.
Gapsted Estate's chief winemaker, Andrew Santarossi, said overall it has been a "strong vintage with good crop levels and very good quality".
"The challenges have been the rapid pace of vintage and very dry conditions."
