Australia-This years wine the Best vintage Ever.

Winemakers in Western Australia’s Margaret River region say this year’s vintage has produced the best quality grapes they have ever seen.

More than 9,000 people are expected to celebrate the vintage at the Margaret River Wine Festival, which begins today.

This year the region produced about 32,000 tonnes of grapes - 5,000 less than last year.

The chief executive of the Margaret River Wine Industry Association, Nick Power, says the lower yield was due to a number of early setbacks.

"It was really to do with the elongated spring and cool early summer pretty well up to mid-December," he said.

"With the cool weather you just basically get poor fruit set.

"We were then also troubled by the apple looper moth, so those two factors have contributed to the yield this year.

"The one thing the winemakers are telling me this year is that the fruit quality is absolutely superb.

"They’re going into raptures over the sauvignon blanc ... so a good sign for everyone."