Harvest was challenging
2007-05-03
WINES of excellent colour and fruit intensity with high expectations for Sauvignon blanc, Chenin blanc, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, are forecast in the 2007 Harvest Review of the Cape Winemakers Guild.
The review, based on harvest reports by CWG members, all leading winemakers in the major wine growing regions, was presented to key wine buyers and enthusiasts as a run-up to the annual CWG Auction in October this year.
“A harvest licensed to thrill” with “sugars going ballistic” during the heat wave, were some of the more colourful descriptions of a harvest that started with a bang in the initial rush to bring in early varietals before the cooler weather slowed down the pace.
Getting the timing right was one of the biggest challenges and winemakers who managed to get their early grapes safely into the cellar enjoyed a shorter and more relaxed harvest.
With the exception of Sauvignon blanc, most yields were down on last year.
CWG Cellarmaster Charles Hopkins of De Grendel Wines, considers this one of the best Sauvignon blanc years in a long time.
“Even with the heat wave taking its toll on the delicate fruit flavours at the start of the harvest, above average wines can be expected this year.”.
The harvest was preceded by ideal cool growing conditions with rain in spring and early summer producing smaller berries of excellent colour and concentrated fruit.
The heat wave affected all regions with varying intensity with early varietals such as Pinotage and Pinot noir taking most of the brunt.
Shiraz and Cabernets benefited from the cooling rains in February achieving good tannin structure and balanced ripening.
Paarl reported its first good winter rest period in four years and one of the best growing seasons ever with the cool conditions resulting in natural acidity, low pH’s along with steady sugar increases, all boding well for a superb year.
A cooler, wet spring resulted in uneven budding and berries at different levels of ripeness requiring winemakers to practice green harvesting halfway through the véraison, the early development stage of the grapes.
Shiraz was most affected by variable budding and ripening and required hands-on attention in the vineyards in the Paarl and Overberg regions.
Apart from the sudden heat wave towards the end of January that saw temperatures soar to over 40° wreaking havoc with early ripening reds, harvest conditions normalised with some welcome rain in February and March.
In the Paarl region where vineyards ripened up to four weeks earlier than in 2006, the temperature spiked to 48° in the shade on “Bloody Wednesday” during the last week of January.
This caused sugars to spike and acids to plummet.
February rains helped slow down the speedy ripening of later varietals resulting in excellent tannin structure, flavour and acids for Shiraz, Cabernets and Petit Verdot.
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