BRUISED fruit and tattered foliage is all that remains of a Broke vineyard's once bulging vines after a hailstorm ripped through the region last week.
Robert Kennedy, of Beyond Broke vineyard, is assessing the fallout of last Tuesday's hailstorm with the full extent of the damage to his $300,000 crop not known until the January harvest begins.
"We have to wait and see if the vines still have the ability to mature the grapes," Mr Kennedy said.
Rain has pushed vintages back across the Hunter and most growers aren't expected to start picking for whites until at least the end of January.
"We all thought it was going to be an early vintage this year, but this Christmas rain we're having is pushing things back a bit," Mr Kennedy said.
Beyond Broke will attempt to harvest its pinot, shiraz, verdelho and chardonnay grapes this year, its 14th vintage.
The winery is known for its sparkling semillon range.
"Even though no two vintages are the same, things were on track for us before," Mr Kennedy said.
"There's no doubt the Hunter needs the rain. If [the vineyards] have got a bit of misfortune for the sake of the farmers who need it up here, then so be it."
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