ABC Rural News

The wine glut could be reversed this year because of east coast rain. It's ruined vineyards in Victoria, and most areas which produce wine have been affected.

With the harvest in southern states just a few weeks away, a crop of less than 1.4 million tonnes is tipped

Casella Wine's Luke Edwards says it'll depend on the weather over the next six weeks.

"If you look at the powerhouse regions of the industry which are the Riverland's along News South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, the next six weeks will be critical because they are susceptible to Botrytis," he says.

"I know a lot of people have been able to keep their vineyards clean until now but if we do get these continued 100mm plus rain events, that will put huge amounts of pressure on growers."

Meanwhile, the stereotypical image of a Australian man drinking a glass of cold beer has taken a hit.

Figures from the Bureau of Statistics show consumers are choosing wine over beer in greater numbers.

Wine consumption has nearly doubled since the mid-1970s, while the amount of beer has nearly halved.

The Winemakers' Federation of Australia says it's a gradual shift, but beer still beats wine.

Chief Executive Stephen Strachan says the figures don't mean much for Australia's wine oversupply.