Winemaker says 2014 crop will be smaller

Wine company Australian Vintage has increased its half year profit, and says the 2014 crop has been impacted by weather.

The company behind McGuigan Wines says current crop levels are down, but the quality of the grapes is high.

Australian Vintage, which also owns the Tempus Two and Passion Pop brands, said the 2014 vintage had been impacted by frost and then a hot summer, and it remained too early to predict how much it will yield.

"The early signs are that crop levels may be down with quality very good," it said.

The company made a profit of $4 million in the first half of the 2013/14 financial year, up from $3.3 million a year earlier.

Total sales were lower in the period, due to weaker bulk sales to North America, the UK and Europe.

But local sales, particularly of the McGuigan brand, were stronger.