South Africa Wine Technical Yearbook 2025

DECEMBER

SHUTTERSTOCK

Tips to avoid the most common cellar mistakes (Part 1) By Pieter Badenhorst

Winemakers in the industry were consulted to point out the most common mistakes that can occur in and around cellars. Here are a few guidelines to avoid some of these problems. Clear work instructions There is no chance of being 100% certain of exact execution when giving work instructions orally. It is extremely important for those who issue the work instructions, as well as those receiving and carrying out the instructions, that the task brief must be clearly provided in writing. Note the following in particular: • Use a pen instead of a pencil to write down instructions.

• It is a good practice to place written (or typed) work instructions in a plastic sleeve cover on a clipboard, as water/fluids are often worked with in a cellar. If the work instructions get wet, there is a possibility that it can be read incorrectly. • If a mistake is made in the instructions, draw a neat line through the mistake and write the correct instruction next to it with your signature to authorise the change. • Pay attention to the clarity of your handwriting. Numbers like 1, 7 and 9 in particular can be confused if not written clearly. • Make 100% sure that the unit of the additives indicated is clear, e.g. ml versus litre and gram versus kg. If you write down 100 cc sulphur gas, ensure that the two c’s cannot be interpreted as zeros.

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TECHNICAL YEARBOOK 2025