Vinpro Technical Harvest Report 2025

Climatic and viticultural trends

and topping actions were necessary due to moderate growth. As usual, the first Pinotage grapes began véraison by 25 December. However, the rate of véraison was considerably slower than normal, with many vineyards taking more than 14 days to complete the process. While véraison occurred earlier for the later-ripening cultivars, they also experienced an extended véraison period. The ripening period followed a familiar rhythm, with the first grapes harvested in early February. Sauvignon Blanc was the first cultivar to ripen, allowing a fair portion of the harvest to be pressed before the remaining early cultivars, such as Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, were harvested. Although the early cultivars ripened slightly later, the middle and late cultivars ripened earlier, which required the cellars to work tirelessly to process all the grapes during the harvest peak. General remarks however, rainfall at the end of October resulted in a temporary increase in downy mildew pressure. No significant crop damage from rain, hail, or frost was recorded, which could have otherwise impacted yield and quality. Vine vigour remained moderate, and weed pressure was low, which was attributable to the dry conditions. Maturity monitoring presented particular challenges, especially in Chenin Blanc blocks, which exhibited greater than usual variation in ripeness levels. This variation is likely linked to differences in vigour and the generally slower ripening pace associated with the cooler growing conditions. Brief episodes of warm The 2024 season was characterised by overall good vineyard health and low disease pressure. Precipitation throughout the season was minimal;

The post-harvest period was dry with moderate temperatures, resulting in slow leaf fall and sufficient time for the accumulation of reserves. Irrigation

water was plentiful, enabling producers to carry out essential post-harvest irrigation and fertilisation. Autumn and early winter were dry, with the first effective rainfall (>7 mm) only arriving towards the end of May. This was followed by 31 mm of rainfall in June and 119 mm in July, as measured at the Aan de Doorns weather station. Cold unit accumulation began slowly in mid-June but increased significantly in July as temperatures dropped. Dormancy was effectively broken due to adequate cold unit accumulation, making the application of dormancy breaking agents unnecessary. Bud burst occurred 7-10 days later than the previous season, though closer to typical phenological timing. This delay in the early growth phase continued, with flowering occurring later than the previous year, but still within the normal window for the region. The flowering period was generally favourable, with no significant rainfall events. However, precipitation towards the end of October led to an increase in downy mildew pressure, particularly in the late-ripening cultivars. This resulted in poorer fruit set, notably observed in certain Ruby Cabernet blocks. Favourable, dry conditions prevailed throughout the summer, resulting in moderate canopy growth. The daily average temperature in November was lower compared to the previous season (Table WO 1) . The cooler temperatures in November led to a slower overall growth rate, which delayed canopy management practices such as suckering and leaf removal. As a result, fewer tipping

Table WO 1: Year-on-year comparison of average temperatures in November (2023–2024), as measured at Aan de Doorns weather station.

Avg daily max temp (°C)

Avg daily min temp (°C)

Max temp measured (°C)

Min temp measured (°C)

Month

Avg temp (°C)

Nov-23 Nov-24

20,83 19,58

28,89 27,36

13,03 12,38

37,67 33,73

6,97 6,07

VINPRO TECHNICAL HARVEST REPORT 2025 57