Floods won't dilute wine production

Wine production is expected to drop by just two per cent despite the summer deluge which badly effected some areas. Shiraz is expected to top Australian wine production. Source: Supplied

WINE production is forecast to take only a two per cent hit in 2010-11 despite floods in Victoria and an increased outbreak of disease.

At 1.5 million tonnes, it is only slightly lower than the wine grape production in 2009-10 of 1.53 million tonnes.

Forecasters from the federal government's Australian Bureau of Agriculture, Resource Economics and Sciences had been doubtful of a positive result, given the floods over summer and damp conditions.

The humidity had led to increased reports of botrytis and downy and powdery mildew.

But the wet also appears to have worked in Australia's favour, boosting vine growth and berry size.

Production in 2011-12 and 2012-13 is expected to stay steady at  1.7 million tonnes assuming there are favourable seasonal conditions, according to the Australian Wine Grape Production Projections report.

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Shiraz is likely to remain the highest-volume variety produced over those two years, with chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon coming next on the list.