With harvest season currently underway in vineyards across Stellenbosch, winemakers look to assess how the Cape drought impacted this year’s vintage.
Simonsig Wine Estate winemaker Michael Malan comments: “The drought in the last three years really affected the Cape Winelands in a negative way, of which the ripple effects are definitely still being felt.”
“The 2019 growing season got off to a rocky start with a heat wave in October, followed by colder weather straight after,” he adds.
Harvesting underway at Simonsig Wine Estate. PHOTO: François Malan
Malan says it’s not all negative: “In other cases, we have seen record yields of many blocks. It just goes to show that the grapevine is an adaptable and hardy plant.”
Malan adds that the early March rain we are experiencing may have a detrimental impact on the fruit that hasn’t been harvested yet. “The lucky thing is that the harvest should finish up in the next 10 days,” he says.
Kanonkop Wine Estate’s Abrie Beeslaar shares Malan’s sentiments on the weather and its impact on their grapevines. “We had very uneven ripening that made decisions around when to pick very difficult,” says Beeslaar.
In 2018, Beeslaar won the International Winemaker of the Year award – for the third time – at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London.
With a focus on Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon, and with a stellar reputation locally and abroad, Beeslaar says Kanonkop’s biggest consideration during planting is terroir (factors including soil, topography and climate) and not market trends.
“We have always tried to make wine of consistently high quality, and we will continue to do so. If we can contribute to the overall value perception of South African wines, we are happy,” he adds.
Kanonkop Wine Estate is one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. PHOTO: Facebook
Stellenbosch Wine Routes
“[During the drought years] we saw an overall reduction in overseas tourists, and continued support from locals visiting the wine routes,” says Madaléne Manuel, brand & communications administrator at Stellenbosch Wine Routes.
Providing a coordinated network of over 150 wineries, Stellenbosch Wine Routes seeks to make exploring local vineyards easier by providing curated tours and experiences to locals and tourists.
Manuel advises young people interested in exploring wine to “start by tasting a selection of wines with friends to start developing your palate, you will soon start deciding what you like and don’t like.”
“Go on a cellar tour at a winery to see and hear how wine is made. There are farms that [do] tours during harvesting season where you will be able to experience the harvest activities in the cellar,” she adds.