Riverland wine grape growers still assessing the damage

Riverland wine grape growers are continuing to assess the damage from last week’s vicious hail storm, which ripped grapes from vines and toppled vineyard rows across the region. Giant hailstones and strong winds swept through the Riverland on Friday, leaving several horticultural industries with a combined damage bill of about $100 million. Some grape growers told ABC Riverland they had lost 50 per cent, 80 per cent or 100 per cent of their grapes on some blocks, just when it seemed the local wine industry was entering a much-needed, positive turnaround.