Winemakers record ‘exceptional season’ with early grape harvest

The wine-grape harvest is running one month ahead of schedule in some parts of the Canberra district. The recent run of warm and dry conditions has also ripened significant volumes of fruit further afield across southern New South Wales. Picking often does not start until March but the harvest of white grape varieties at Helm Wines in Murrumbateman was expected to be completed within a week.