Ballarat’s average top temperature was 31.2 degrees Celsius throughout January, more than five degrees above the usual average of 25.5.

That kind of variation can put a lot of stress on a vine, especially if it’s a cool climate variety such as pinot noir, a popular grape around Ballarat.

Award-winning vigneron Owen Latta of Eastern Peake and Latta wines says it’s possible for local winemakers to get through the extra heat and come out the other side with a really strong vintage – if they are willing to pay attention and add extra measures for protection.

His Eastern Peake vineyard, which he manages with his parents, is 25km north-west of Ballarat at Coghills Creek. Owen Latta says while it was a difficult January, it’s too early to tell what the outcome will be.

He says the ripening of the grapes, or ‘veraison’ is slightly early, but certainly not disastrously so.

“When you’re in a cooler climate and you have that hot weather, the vines know how to react to it and they shut down,” he says.

“It’s hard to say if it’s going to be super-early; this week is looking a little bit better and February might be a bit cooler. Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but it could end up like 2017 where we had that really hot spike in January and then it cooled right off for the rest of the season.”

Further out in the Pyrenees and Grampians, it’s definitely looking as it will be an early season.

“That heat has certainly brought it on early up there,” Mr Latta says.

He says anywhere that’s had a good rainfall recently can still look forward to a good season, especially as the dry, hot weather has reduced the incidence of disease.

“It’s important to get a bit of water on at the right time; we’ve used the irrigation system to keep a bit of soil moisture, and we’ve mulched with straw on our old blocks.”

He says Ballarat is still a great region for growing pinot varieties.