MYRTLEFORD and district grape growers and wineries made the most of favourable conditions to harvest this year's fruit for vintage.
Weather patterns over recent months have been beneficial to vineyards in the local area, with vignerons happy there have been few humid days compared to previous years and overall, not too hot or too cold.
"This season has been really, really good and our fruit yield is up this year due to the weather," said Myrtleford's Michelini Wines sales and marketing manager, Kane Michelini.
"It's been nice and dry for growing season, but there are still some cool nights for the vines.
"Across the board, the quality of our whites and reds should be up there with some of the best years' vintages, particularly our Sangiovese and Nebbiolo reds."
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Michelini have wrapped up their harvest now with all the white grapes harvested by mid-March, and the reds by early April.
The vineyard was lucky with the weather holding out allowing them to get fruit off the vine before controlled burns were carried out in the area.
Further along the Great Alpine Road, the harvest of Gapsted Estate's 2025 Vintage also delivered the dividends.
Members of the sales team exchanged spreadsheets for cellar tools, got up bright and early and rolled up their sleeves to lend a hand picking the vineyard's legendary 'Saperavi' grapes.
"We are feeling buoyant," Gapsted Estate chief winemaker, Andrew Santarossi said.
"From grape arrivals to daily ferment checks, the energy is high and the wine is well on its way."
