'Chardonnay development this year will be quite intense, and that will allow us to do everything from sparkling bases through to our heavily oaked chardonnays.

'I think this will give us some quite concentrated flavours. 'This year's vintage will be characterised by the long, dry period up to fruit development, which has seen us develop some really small berries on the bunches,' he said. Winemaker Bryan Tonkin predicted the dry weather would help produce strong and concentrated flavours in the 2016 crop.Д¬hardonnay development this year will be quite intense. While the prolonged dry has caused heartache for many primary producers, its been a different story for grape growers. In the state's south-east, drought conditions are continuing to bite throughout the Coonawarra. Growers who have been in a position to irrigate through the hot weather are faring well, but those who've struggled to keep the pumps going are reporting below average yields.Дespite the challenges, excitement is building as growers and wineries gear up for their busiest time of the year.Д¬ontract harvester Tony Richards said he's expecting a condensed picking season.ДЄdelaide Hills winemaker Tom Keelan stands amid wine barrels ahead of the 2016 vintage ( Caroline Winter) Coonawarra: Growers welcome drought-intensified flavours The industry as a whole remains on track for an average season, but within individual vineyards, performance has largely been determined by access to water. Small volumes of grapes are already being trucked into Riverland wineries, with picking expected to ramp up later this week.Д®verything seems to have ripened early this year. Hot and dry conditions have brought on a slightly early harvest in Australia's biggest wine producing region, where crop performance has been mixed. Riverland: Mixed fortunes for bulk wine producers South Australian wine grape growers talk about their expectations for the 2016 vintage (Brett Worthington)ДЄs the nation's largest wine producer, South Australia contributes more than half of the country's annual wine volume, a commodity worth an estimated $440 million last season.ДЄBC Rural takes a look at the key issues and crop predictions across four of the state's key wine growing areas.

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