Despite Hawke's Bay being inflicted with two overcast or damp days for every fine one since late December the crucial grape crop appears to have so far dodged a rotting bullet.
Somewhat ironically - because the soil moisture levels are actually slightly lower than they were at this time last year.
"There has been a lot of overcast days and a lot of rainy days but the moisture levels are normal - just slightly down," Hawke's Bay Grapegrowers Association chairman Nicholas Buck said.
"So we don't have any disease pressure at this stage," he said, adding that the region's winegrowers and winemakers were optimistic the vintage would "give us the opportunity to make some very good wines."
The rain which had fallen had been relatively light and spread over a long period so the soil at critical levels was largely unaffected.