With summer ending abruptly, and with the harvest complete, we have a chance to reflect on the first four months of the year. Here are the reflections of our winemaker, Danielle le Roux on the vintage of 2023.
“It was a very dry season – winter and spring had well below average rainfall, with 100mm less than the previous year. Cold units were made up for in late winter and early spring with a cold snap. Warmer spring temperatures led to slightly earlier budding, which was very even, followed by good flowering, with moderate and consistent weather.
December brought a lot of rain, lowering temperatures and mitigating further irrigation during the growing period. The rainfall gave the vines a boost, and the vineyard team worked hard to manage the canopy with extra suckering, tipping, topping, and side shoot removal.
The December rain was followed by hot and humid conditions, increasing disease pressure, which was managed well by consistent spray programs and canopy management. Hot weather in January encouraged ripening. Moderate weather with some cool nights was positive for maintaining acidity and encouraging phenolic ripeness.
Despite the challenges throughout March, of which load shedding and wet conditions were the most trying, the cellar team has done a wonderful job and we are looking forward to elegant, terroir-driven wines from 2023.”