Grape growers say it is too early to tell how the poor weather will impact wine in the Orange region.

It will depend on when the rain stops and whether workers can get into the vineyards to spray against fungal disease.

Philip Shaw Wines and Angullong Wines are considering using aerial spraying if tractors cannot get into the vineyards however, it is yet to be decided if helicopters or aircraft will be used.

Availability will also be a factor due to the aircraft being used for observation in flood affected areas.

Daniel Shaw from Philip Shaw Wines said the winery was able to complete its winter pruning however, access will be an issue for upcoming spring spraying.

Mr Shaw bogged a tractor at the vineyard on Wednesday and said getting to the vines will be a key factor.

“There’s a lot of disease pressure which makes our need to be very thorough and accurate with our sprays for mildew but we are hoping that November and December will dry out,” Mr Shaw said.  

He said downy mildew and powdery mildew could affect the foliage and as the season progresses botrytis could become more of a concern.

Angullong Wines co-owner James Crossing said the season has not officially started yet because spraying has not begun but it is only about a week away and he also cannot get tractors into the vineyard.

“In the 18 years of the vineyard we haven’t been faced with it this bad,” Mr Crossing said.

“We got the pruning done with no issues, we got the tractor work done before most of the rain.”

He said disease risks he is looking out for are black spot and phomopsis. 

However, Mr Crossing said there is plenty of drainage at his vineyard so the vines while wet are not sitting in water and a bonus is he may not have to irrigate until Christmas.

Canobolas-Smith Wines owner vigneron Murray Smith said there could be potential issues due to the soil being so wet and said too much wet soil could affect airflow to the roots of vines and their access to nutrients leading to poor growth.

“It’s going into unknown territory having a wet winter and then a wet September,” Mr Smith said.

“If we get some dry weather now it could be a fantastic spring but if we get more wet weather it could be diabolical with disease.”