As the grape harvesting season comes to a close, the South African Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS) viticulturists and cellars estimate that 2018 will record the smallest crop since 2005.
“Nearly all white cultivars have been harvested, with a few late blocks being harvested in the next two weeks,” said Francois Viljoen, manager of the wine industry body Vinpro’s viticultural consultation service.
Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon were currently being harvested, with Shiraz especially slow to ripen this year, he pointed out.
Viljoen explained that the harvest season kicked off with very dry, hot weather conditions, after which February brought cooler nights, which was ideal for ripening and enhanced quality.
He said many regions would continue to harvest until mid-April, and the industry was hopeful that the weather conditions would hold and the grapes would be healthy.
The crop size will vary significantly between regions and even farms depending on individual production units’ access to water and other conditions. “Some regions and producers report a larger-than-expected harvest, while others estimate that it will be even smaller than initially thought. Everyone agrees that the wine grape quality is good given the circumstances,” said Viljoen.
