Wine grape growers still unhappy about prices

Offers from wineries looking for grapes to replace damaged fruit this vintage are being knocked back by growers, because the prices are still too low.

Wine Grape Growers Australia chief executive, Mark Mckenzie, says the recent heatwave and bushfires have reduced the nationwide grape tonnage by around 300,000 tonnes.

He says wineries will need to re-assess prices because there are less grapes available.

Sam Holmes, from the Barossa Grape and Wine Association in South Australia, says wineries are already on the lookout, but the price just isn't good enough.

"Actually the growers have said no, we're not interested, it's cheaper to leave it on the vine,' he says.

"So I would say that winery will probably be calling back in a week's time with a price that actually allows them to recoup their cost of production."