WHEN it rains in the Paardeberg, the Perdeberg Winery co-operative growers smile a lot, because 75% of the vineyards are not irrigated.
And they certainly have reason to smile this year because the 2008 harvest has improved the quality of the vines.
It has also helped deliver the biggest yield in the winery’s 67 year history with an average 15% increase - this equates to an extra 1,2 tonnes per hectare.
The increased yield has relieved performance stress and made way for quality to be the dominant feature.
Cool weather and summer rains in December and January defined this harvest, which started three weeks later than usual.
Fortunately, Perdeberg didn’t suffer losses due to rot; on the contrary, the rains have helped produce a great white wine season, with Chenin topping the bill as the star cultivar.
Shiraz is championing the reds, which are soft and velvety with lots of fruit with early drinkability. White wine bottling will start at the end of June for on shelf in July.
