Two “real” Cape winters in a row in the Robertson Wine Valley has made the oncoming Spring something to look forward to for the wine-making team on De Wetshof Estate.
According to Peter de Wet, who runs the cellar with mentor Mervyn Williams under the watchful eyes of Danie de Wet, 2012’s now notoriously cold winter follows an almost equally chilly 2011, to the delight of the Estate’s vineyards.
“The prolonged chill of this year’s winter has been widely reported, and here in Robertson we still are feeling it to the bone,” says Peter. “Frost has been a common occurrence, freezing winds from the snow-capped Langeberg Mountains drove man and beast indoors and for a long spell midday temperatures struggled to break over the 12°C mark after dawn’s 1°C to 2°C.”
According to Peter, the brisk chill of 2012 has caused many to forget that last year was almost just as frigid. “Two cold winters in a row in which approximately the same amount of cold units were measured, have had a very positive effect on De Wetshof’s vines,” he says.
“After the energy the vines spent during the ripening period, the relief of going into a deep slumber induced by cold temperatures is the vineyard equivalent of spending a few months relaxing in a spa. The growth cycle slows down, the vine relaxes and has time to recover, leading to a rejuvenated, fresh and energetic plant ready to take on the Spring period of bud-break and berry-set with vigour.
“Now with two fantastic cold winters in a row to induce complete dormancy, we are expecting great things from the vines during the growing season, both in terms of their health and the potential to bear fruit of outstanding quality.”
Peter says that though sleeping dogs might be left to lie, vineyards require attention and work during winter.
“Just because the vines are hibernating does not mean they can remain unattended. Now is the time for pruning: trimming back the canes to remove the dead, spent wood and clearing the way for the new buds which will break when things warm up and bear fine, healthy fruit,” he says.
“These favourable conditions all assist in allowing for optimum terrain expression of each of our vineyards’ soil and climatic features through the range of site-specific wines, especially our Chardonnays.”
This year is the 25th anniversary of the planting of De Wetshof’s Bateleur vineyard from which South Africa’s oldest single-vineyard Chardonnay is made.
