Vinpro Technical Harvest Report 2026

Overview

A pendulum season saw producers shift from one extreme to another as the weather fluctuated between dry and wet conditions. In response to these prevailing conditions, cellars and viticulturists had to repeatedly adjust their approach. Nevertheless, South African producers demonstrated resilience and delivered an impressive harvest. At the time of writing (May 2026), the total crop is estimated at 1,370 million tonnes, representing a 7,4% increase on the rebound crop of 2025. The 2026 harvest appears to align with seasons such as 2020, and production levels therefore remain comparatively lower than those of 2021 and 2022. A further contributing factor to the higher yield is the national vineyard footprint, which currently shows signs of stabilisation

following a prolonged period of decline, with the total area under vines decreasing by only 19 hectares year-on-year to 85 525 ha. Moderate summer conditions in 2025, parti cularly during bunch initiation, laid an excellent foundation for fruit development in 2026. Low disease pressure during this period resulted in vineyard canopies remaining in excellent condition after harvest. A warm, dry autumn with limited rainfall promoted the accumulation of carbohydrate reserves, particularly where sufficient irrigation was available. Winter rainfall was consistent with or slightly below the long-term average, yet still with adequate replenishment of soil profiles and storage dams, although runoff was limited. The accumulation

VINPRO TECHNICAL HARVEST REPORT 2026 3