Terry and Dawn Wilson, of Mount Maude vineyard in the Maungawera Valley, near Wanaka, are preparing to harvest one of the most successful crops they can remember in 18 years.
"I think that we've almost got the best we've ever had this year," Mrs Wilson said.
"It's been an amazing year," her husband agreed.
"Our only thing that went wrong is we got a frost in spring that did some damage to the bottom of the vineyard."
Dry weather over the flowering period in early December had ensured even bunches of grapes at Mount Maude.
This season's flowering had taken just eight days, compared with up to a month "in a bad year", Mr Wilson said.
The vineyard had been blessed with the recent cool nights and warmer days experienced in the district, providing "perfect ripening weather".
The couple established their 4ha vineyard near Wanaka in 1994 and produce riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot gris varieties.
They typically harvest in mid-April, but each year brings a waiting game for swinging into action at the perfect moment.
"On this vineyard we tend to sit and wait for as long as possible, and you can for some reason ... you can hang the grapes out there without increasing the sugars too much at this stage," Mr Wilson said.
"If the sugars get too high ... the alcohol gets too high and spoils the taste of the wine."
It takes about seven days to hand-pick the vineyard, with the help of four or five workers, usually from the local backpackers.
Maude's established vines have not required watering for about six years now, because the vineyard is planted on a shingle base with clay seams running through it, which retain water.
"Although we do still need the occasional dousing," Mrs Wilson said.
Meanwhile, in Queenstown, Amisfield Wine Company vineyard manager Andre Lategan said the 2012 harvest looked "fabulous".
"I think it's going to be a light year [in terms of grapes] but a good year," he said.
This reflected the climate during the grape-growing season.
