With the exceptionally hot and dry conditions – the most intense experienced by the Cape winelands in over 30 years – it was hardly a surprise to see Du Toitskloof Wines commencing its 2016 harvest as early as 21 January, one of the earliest pickings ever.
A blistering spring and searing summer, coupled with pressure on vineyard water supplies, saw flowering, berry-set and veraison occur at breakneck speed, pushing the harvest forward as grapes ripened like the clappers.
According to Leon Dippenaar, VinPro viticulturist who consults to Du Toitskloof Wines’ 22 farmer-members, the relentless heat since spring pushed the vineyard cycle forward, but ripening is even and grapes healthy.
“We began with Sauvignon Blanc, our signature variety which has to hit the market early due to the brand’s popularity,” says Dippenaar. “Barely a week into harvest, quality seems superb, with phenolic ripeness showing at 19 degrees balling. This will lead to more tropical notes in the wine suppressing the green flavours and offering consumers a more multi-dimensional style.”
With Pinotage also starting off the harvest at Du Toitskloof, Dippenaar said red varieties appear healthy, although bunches are smaller due to the hot weather. “As can be expected in the hot weather and resulting dry soils, bunches are lighter. While our member-farmers irrigate from the Breede River and bore-holes, the water situation is becoming dire as we head to end-January.”
Cooler temperatures and a few millimetres in the week of 25 January did bring some relief, but not do much to fill water resources unless this rain is more than a smidgen.
Du Toitskloof Wines’ new facility will be capable of handling 700 tons of grapes daily if required. The cellar harvests an average of 15 000 tons per annum.
Du Toitskloof Wines Cellarmaster Shawn Thomson says that farmers are already bringing in 200 tons of Sauvignon Blanc a day. “Analyses for our Sauvignon Blanc are looking spot-on with a fine balance between acidity and sugar, and good pH levels,” he says. “Fruit is very healthy – few bugs or fungi stand a chance in this heat.
Shawn Thomson, Du Toitskloof Wines’ cellar master.
“The challenge will be on the logistics side – the grapes are ripening at a rate of knots and we could see many varieties being harvested at the same time, placing pressure on the cellar. But that is part of winemaking! Fortunately the new harvest cellar, which was commissioned last year, has the capacity and state-of-the art technology to not only deal with the big volumes, but to ensure we produce wine of a continually improving quality.”
