Top image caption From left to right:
Bouchard Finlayson’s harvest team: student interns William Goldschmidt and Luigi Pagoni from Tuscany (Italy); with Bouchard Finlayson team: Nkosinamandla Maku; Nigel Hansen; Peter Finlayson (the founder of Bouchard Finlayson) and winemaker Chris Albrecht; and student Jean Nel from Stellenbosch. (Not in photograph: Mortimer Lee)
Seen here is the Bouchard Finlayson team celebrating a good harvest after five weeks of hard work, having spent seven days a week in the cellar. This year 24 permanent staff members rolled up their sleeves to harvest on the Estate in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley, while jobs were created for another 24 temporary staff from the greater Hermanus area.
Winemaker Chris Albrecht celebrated his 7th harvest since he started at Bouchard Finlayson in 2011, assisted in the cellar by Nigel Hansen, as well as Nkosinamandla Maku who has been helping during harvest since 2013, when he is not working elsewhere on the estate. Hansen has been with Bouchard Finlayson for more than 18 years. This year three student interns, William Goldschmidt and Luigi Pagoni from Tuscany in Italy, and Jean Nel from Stellenbosch, joined the Bouchard Finlayson team to gain experience during the harvest.
Apart from the severe downpour received at the end of January, prior to harvest, ripening conditions had been very good, with dry and cool weather prevailing, says Bouchard Finlayson vineyard manager Mortimer Lee. Un-even budding on especially the Pinot noir vineyards, necessitated strict discipline during green harvest. Cool conditions, especially at night, continued into February, with no excessive heat experienced.
Winemaker Chris Albrecht says: ‘Harvest commenced a few days early, compared to the long term average, with all vineyards yielding a lighter crop. As a result, the fruit from all 10 grape varieties grown on the Estate, including the late-ripening Kaaimansgat chardonnay grapes, were picked within 32 days – a very compact harvest indeed!’ Healthy fruit, phenolic and sugar ripeness coinciding well, together with good flavour development, all create much expectation for what is expected to be a memorable vintage.
