This year brought on an atypical harvest that was almost leisurely! The uncommonly cool temperatures during February made for a long ripening of the grapes. This did result in beautiful, flavourful fruit, but it meant we had to be on our toes to bring in the different cultivars at just the right time, and to be careful not to rush. Like most other Cape wine farmers, we experienced the effects of the long dry winter of 2011 and the cooler summer this year in an overall lower yield of fruit. There were plenty of healthy bunches on our vines, but the berries were smaller than usual. The upside of this was very concentrated grape flavours and full character in the fruit, which should make for an excellent 2012 vintage. The hard work in the vineyards is now over, and our attention is all in the cellar where the white wines are fermenting on the lees in barrels, and the reds are still lying on skins in the tanks before pressing. As we head into Autumn, our rhythms on the farm change, and it is time for patience as we nurture the development of the wines and allow the full characters of the grapes to be expressed.
