Time is flying! The vineyards are growing like crazy, we’ve had some serious downy mildew pressure and it has certainly been an expensive season so far!
As mentioned in my previous post things are pretty much unfolding as expected. We’re finally getting some warmer weather, the strong winds have started to ease and most vineyards have moved through flowering. With the weather settling the risk of downy mildew is becoming less of a concern. Don’t get too comfortable because powdery mildew is next on the list.
Dense canopies can come back to bite you, particularly in bush vines. We’re still experiencing cool nights with some areas seeing plenty of dew and very little air movement in the mornings. These conditions can create the perfect environment for powdery mildew. Keep an eye on those canopies and don’t underestimate the risk!
But yeah, not a lot to say about the season that changed dramatically, but we have been busy and plenty has happened.
While the season was already in full swing we managed to establish a very late-planted high-density Echalas vineyard at Weltevreden in Stellenbosch.
The planting consists primarily of Marsanne with approximately 8% Roussanne interplanted. It’s an exciting addition and certainly not the easiest planting to get done this late in the season!
This would not have been possible without Bennie Booysen and his team putting in the hard work. And, of course, Tian King, who took care of the vineyard design.
A big thank you to everyone involved!
The new vineyard at the lodge at Brookdale Estate is also coming along nicely.
With the warmer weather finally arriving we’re able to give the young vines the attention they need and help them get established. This is a high-density Echalas planting consisting of Tinta Barocca and Clairette Blanche in a 50/50 planting. Not a field blend, but two varieties sharing the same vineyard.
Then naturally there are so much work in the vineyards. This year we are experimenting with this Sauvignon blanc block at AA Badenhorst Wines. Leaf plucking in the morning side, the afternoon side and then one third we will strip the leaves so that even Duncan Savage will be proud of us! Here is Adi and Hannes checking what and how the instruction will be.
Loads of duikers (Sylvicapra grimmia) this year in the vineyards. In some places they can cause huge crop losses, and in some places they are just a little curious. I took this photo at Hazendal in the Pinot Noir. Yes I had to get Chatgpt to enhance this one seeing that cell phones still take shitty photos when zooming in massively…
Lastly, we’re fast approaching full bunch closure in most varieties across the Swartland and Paarl regions.
We know that we’re heading into an early harvest this season but just how early remains to be seen. There is still plenty that can happen between now and picking and we’ll have to keep watching the weather and the vines.
For now it’s all about staying on top of canopy management, keeping disease pressure under control and making sure the vines get what they need during this important part of the season.
