South Australian grape growers have had mixed responses to heavy rainfall in the state's prime wine regions. Up to 100 millimetres of rain fell in 24 hours in the Clare and Barossa Valleys at the weekend. Wine makers in the northern Barossa say the wet weather has helped boost yields damaged by consecutive heatwaves. Troy Kalleske from Kalleske Wines says the 100 millimetres of rain they received came at the perfect time. "The crop was looking slightly under average, but now the rain has brought it back to about average," he said. "It's been a very good thing to freshen up the vines just a few days away from vintage, so a very big positive for us."

But Neil Pike, from Pikes Wine in the Clare Valley, says the wet weather has caused grape split in his region. Wineries in the central part of the valley received the most rainfall, up to 90 millimetres in some cases. But Mr Pike says the situation isn't disastrous. "Some varieties are more susceptible to the splitting than others," he said. "We've seen a little bit in shiraz in some of our blocks this morning, certainly a little bit in some sauvignon blanc. "We're pretty hopeful, given a bit of warm weather for a few days. Warm, dry weather is the key. With a bit of wind, it'll be okay."

Source - http://www.abc.net.au/