So here’s hoping that the coming year’s vintage is everything that winemakers are hoping it will be.

It’s good news that experts are quietly predicting the 2017 harvest could produce wines that rate up there with the renowned 2014 Hunter vintage.

But it’s not guaranteed to be sunshine and roses just yet.

Hunter winemakers need weather conditions to be just right as their grapes mature on the vines, ready for picking in the coming months.

Pokolbin winemaker Nick Connaughton (pictured), who owns fledgling label Left of Centre Wines, said spring had delivered the moderate temperatures that grape growers needed.

“We received enough rain which resulted in good subsoil moisture and growth and the vines look well balanced,” he said.

“At this stage we are in the lap of the gods and praying that there will be no heavy rain or hail between now and harvest later in January.”

In comparison, Barossa vigneron Anthony Scholz said things looked “pretty good” in South Australia.

“We’ve got good soil moisture from the wet winter we had – we certainly haven’t seen a winter like that for a long time. It’s been a cool spring and now we’re into summer the vines are growing quite rapidly,” he said. “Last year was hot and dry and the aim of watering was to keep leaves on the vine whereas this year it’s a bit the opposite – the topsoil is starting to dry out to about 50cm but under that it’s still wet, wet, wet. We’ll probably start to pick about March 6 to 10, which will be about three weeks later than last year.”

The good thing for winemakers is that the long-range weather forecasts for January and February in the Hunter predict average rainfall – which would provide perfect conditions for a strong vintage.

It’s understandable that Mr Connaughton was hesitant to compare the potential of the 2017 vintage with the 2014 batch – which was the Hunter’s best vintage in about half century.

With a bit of luck, the weather conditions will be ideal so the Hunter’s winemakers can continue their valuable contribution to the region’s economy and as tourism draw cards that attract visitors from across the globe.