Rain threatens Hunter grape harvest

The big wet has set Hunter winemakers some dangerous hurdles to clear in the next six weeks as vineyard battles mount to stop damaging diseases attacking the growing fruit. Like their farming colleagues in the Upper Hunter whose quality wheat has been downgraded to stockfeed, Hunter vignerons must manage mildew, bunch rot and other moisture-borne diseases that threaten their yields and financial returns. November was a record wet month, with Cessnock drenched in 160 millimetres of rain, reports The Newcastle Herald.