English Version
Wellington Wines was blessed with an excellent harvest this year, despite quite a number of challenges during the season.
The lead-up to the harvest was characterised by a dry, warm winter and spring, with significantly less rainfall than the previous year. However, heavy rain showers during the first week of December brought great relief. The drier conditions resulted in smaller berry sizes with lower bunch weights, that will yield excellent quality wines.
Warm, sunny days during January and February produced good sugar analyses and phenolic ripeness, and as a result we were able to harvest the early- and mid-season cultivars at an optimum degree of ripeness. The harvest began on January 25, when the first Sauvignon Blanc grapes arrived at the cellar, and we pressed the last grapes in the week before Easter weekend. A total of 27 600 tonnes of grapes were harvested in 2023 – 7% less than last year.
The productivity levels of all three production cellars were high, although load shedding sometimes tested our winemaking team’s patience to the limit.
During March 135mm rain fell in our region – 25mm more than the previous record for the month of March last set in 1985! This presented challenges for the cultivars that ripen late in the season. Thanks to good co-operation between our producers, viticulturists, and winemakers, we still managed to harvest healthy grapes. The rains are also beneficial in building up reserves in the soil and will help the vineyards with good budding in the next season.
Our region’s two stalwart grape varieties, Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, excelled as usual. Both had slightly higher production volumes than last year, and they display large, full-ripe wine styles.
We are excited to judge the final wines, curate blends and introduce our region’s quality to the wine world, and are grateful to all the participants who contributed to this season’s success!
Daniel Slabber & Christo Smit – Senior Winemakers
Nikey van Zyl – Viticulturist
Afrikaanse Weergawe
Wellington Wines was hierdie jaar geseënd met ‘n uitstekende oes, ten spyte van ‘n hele paar uitdagings gedurende die seisoen.
Die aanloop tot die oes was gekenmerk deur ‘n droë, warm winter en lente, met noemenswaardig minder reënval as die vorige jaar. Harde reënbuie gedurende die eerste week van Desember het egter groot verligting gebring. Die droër toestande het kleiner korrelgroottes met laer trosgewigte tot gevolg gehad het, wat uitstekende kwaliteit wyne sal oplewer.
Warm, sonnige dae gedurende Januarie en Februarie het goeie suikeranalises en fenoliese rypheid meegebring, en gevolglik kon ons die vroeë- en mid-seisoen kultivars teen ‘n optimale rypheidsgraad oes. Die pars het op 25 Januarie begin toe die eerste Sauvignon Blanc druiwe by die kelder afgelewer is, en ons het die laaste druiwe gepars in die week voor Paasnaweek. ‘n Totaal van 27 600 ton druiwe is in 2023 gepars – 7% minder as verlede jaar.
Al drie parskelders se produktiwiteit was hoog, alhoewel beurtkrag ons wynmaakspan se geduld soms tot die uiterste beproef het.
Gedurende Maart het daar 135mm reën in ons streek geval – 25mm meer as die vorige rekord vir Maartmaand wat in 1985 opgestel is! Dit het ‘n hele paar uitdagings opgelewer vir die kultivars wat laat in die seisoen ryp word. Danksy goeie samewerking tussen ons produsente, wingerdboukundiges, en wynmakers, kon ons nog steeds daarin slaag om gesonde druiwe te oes. Die reën is ook baie voordelig om reserwes in die grond op te bou, en sal die wingerde help met goeie bot in die volgende seisoen.
Ons streek se twee staatmaker kultivars, Chenin Blanc en Pinotage, het soos gewoonlik uitgeblink. Albei se produksievolumes is effe hoër as verlede jaar, en hulle vertoon groot, volryp wynstyle.
Ons is baie opgewonde om die finale wyne te beoordeel, versnitte saam te stel en om ons streek se kwaliteit aan die wynwêreld bekend te stel, en is opreg dankbaar aan al die deelnemers wat bygedra het tot hierdie seisoen se sukses!
Daniel Slabber & Christo Smit – Senior Wynmakers
Nikey van Zyl – Wingerdboukundige