While the rest of South Africa's wine regions are feeling the strain of a debilitating drought and exceptionally high temperatures - and resultant lower wine grape yields - the Orange River wine region in the Northern Cape seems to be on track for a bigger harvest than last year.
The availability of water for irrigation, as well as cooler weather in January, accompanied by bouts of rain, have ensured that the current harvest is running smoothly, with healthy, well-developed grape bunches – the quality of which has the Orange River Cellars winemakers smiling.
According to Henning Burger, manager of viticulture services at Orange River Cellars, the current harvest season is characterised by the particularly hot temperatures experienced in the vast wine region from October to the beginning of January, and the widespread heavy rains that fell from 18-24 January.
“In October we already knew that the development of the grape bunches for this year's harvest would take place in well above-average temperatures as many spring days saw temperatures in excess of 40°C,” says Burger. “The high temperatures persisted throughout November and December, with no rain in sight. And then on 18 January, just after we began picking the first grapes, the heavens really opened – in Upington we received 140 mm over seven days. Even Augrabies, traditionally a much drier area located west of Upington, had 100 mm of rain during that week.”
Burger says the vineyards will naturally welcome the lower temperatures and accompanying rains, as the vine basically goes into shock, or standstill mode, as soon as the air temperature reaches around 40°C. “Subsequently we are harvesting healthy bunches, although the higher temperatures of earlier in the season have kept the acidity levels of the fruit low.”
Orange River Cellars harvests grapes for each of the company's five production facilities stretching across a distance of 350 km along the Orange River. These cellars are Kakamas, Keimoes, Upington, Groblershoop and Grootdrink, and each one is centrally located to received grapes from the large wine-producing areas in the region.
The main grape varieties are Colombard and Chenin Blanc, from which more high quality wines are made, along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Red varieties includ Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Petit Verdot. Then there's also Muscat de Frontignan, which is used to produce Orange River Cellars' award-winning range of fortified wines.
“Although the lower temperatures have been welcomed, there is always another side to a rain story and that is the danger of downy mildew that appears on the bunches in moist, humid conditions,” says Burger. “The dry conditions we've had following the rain is currently helping to prevent downy mildew, and the grape farmers have been quick to adjust their spraying programmes to limit this danger. Experience of our wine region's unique conditions, like the summer rainfall element, is an important factor and our farmer-members are prepared for such challenges – they've been through it many times, after all.”
Although more than three months of earnest harvesting still lies ahead for Orange River Cellars' grape farmers and five wine cellars, the indications are that this year's volumes will be higher than last year's and should exceed the 130 000 tons mark.
“The grapes are coming in at a brisk pace, and the winemakers are impressed with the quality of young wines that can already be seen, so Orange River Cellars is expecting a good year – although nature is obviously unpredictable.”
According to Koos Visser, marketing manager of Orange River Cellars, the greater esteem that the region's wines are currently enjoying, and the overall higher quality of the product can be largely attributed to outstanding vineyard management combined with winemaking skill.
“Henning and his team of viticulturists have seen to it that our farmers focus on quality grapes and not only volume,” says Visser. “This has coincided with the renewal of technology in the cellars, as well as an astute understanding and knowledge of the winemakers for the making of good wine. With the rest of the South African wine industry currently expecting smaller harvests and less wine, it looks likely at this stage that Orange River Cellars and Northern Cape wine industry will help ensure a sufficient supply of good wine in South Africa in 2016.”