For the first time on record, the number of liquor licences issued to special wine producers tipped 184 for the financial year, after a heroic leap from 159 last year.

But grape growers have a shrewd idea as to why the licence numbers might have jumped up in the middle of the COVID crisis.

Co-owner of the Bell and Gong vineyard Frances Stewart said she believed COVID had a lot to do with the significant rise in licences this year.

"With a lot of restaurants and bars closing a lot of producers might have got a licence to sell at popup cellar doors and people can pop in in their ones and twos and buy wine directly."

She said even though they had a licence for their cellar door, during the year customers had dwindled to a trickle.

"In order to get some sales happening, we have to open our cellar door and promote ourselves."

She said she was also aware of new plantings. "They're going in left, right and centre. There are lots of people putting in small vineyards."

Co-owner Simon Stewart said he believed it was due to the lack of tourists. With the difficult year, many growers had looked at direct sales.

"I think there have been more opportunities. People have taken advantage and said, there's something on somewhere and we'll do tastings or bottles or glasses."

Leven Valley Vineyard co-owner Wendy Dontschuk said on her drives around, she had noticed new vines appearing.

"There's been a big increase in plantings from what I can see."

However she didn't believe the new vines were being put in by mainlanders who had moved to Tasmania.

"Most that I've heard about are all locals," she said. "They're diversifying."