Vineyards prepare for early start to harvest

Vineyards throughout the Great Southern are expected to harvest an early vintage this year.

Wineries in Albany, Denmark and Mt Barker have forecast starts of between two weeks and a month earlier than usual.

Rob Wignall, whose Wignalls Wines is the first to pick table grapes in the region, said this was the earliest harvest that his vineyards had seen, coming a month earlier than usual.

"It's going to be an early season, personally I'm excited," he said.

Mr Wignall said ultraviolet rays could be the reason for the early vintage this year.

"Maybe it's just a high UV year, but sub-region to sub-region it's going to be an interesting season," he said.

Some local winemakers say the early vintage is related to climate change. "The impact of climate change and a bad summer has meant we're picking two to thee weeks early this year," Richard Parish, owner of Parish Lane Wines in Albany, said.

Andrew Milbourne of Castelli Wines said "climate change, a warmer winter and shifting rain patterns have meant we're harvesting early for the second year running".

He said warmer winter temperatures affected the following budding season.

Robert Dilleti, winemaker at Castle Rock Estate Wines, said a hot October could be the reason for the early vintage, although their winery in the Porongurups had not noticed an early start.

"We haven't observed an early start, but maybe the hot October allowed the season to gain momentum earlier than usual," he said.