Vinpro Technical Harvest Report 2026

Climatic and viticultural trends

Cultivars that flowered early achieved good fruit set. Later cultivars, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, however, experienced some flower abortion, as their flowering and set periods coincided with very hot conditions. Véraison occurred relatively early, and the cultivar sequence was atypical. During this phase, the late cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, reached véraison concurrently with mid-season Shiraz. During January and February, traditionally the warmest months in the Swartland, considerably fewer hours with temperatures above 35 °C were recorded. March, however, brought a severe heatwave, and as a result, cellars and producers completed the harvest much earlier than in the preceding year – some by as much as 14 days. By March, producers with limited irrigation water were under significant pressure to meet vineyard water requirements. Despite the earlier harvest, overall yields were not reduced. Higher bunch numbers compensated for the smaller berry size observed during the season as a result of dry conditions. As with véraison, cultivars were not harvested in their typical ripening sequence; for example, some Cabernet Sauvignon blocks were harvested before Chenin Blanc. This phenomenon was likely due to substantial differences in yield, which resulted in variation in canopy-to-fruit ratios. General remarks in the previous year. Producers reliant on irrigation were under continuous pressure to meet vineyard water requirements, and water reserves were low by the end of the season. Harvest commenced at a rapid pace and was completed early. Following moderate weather and light drizzle in mid-February, succeeded by intense heat in March, sugar concentrations increased sharply and the harvest pace accelerated markedly, before slowing slightly thereafter. Sporadic rot was observed in Chenin Blanc blocks carrying large crops, where grapes consequently had to remain on the vines for longer. Due to the dry and warm conditions, disease pressure was low. Vineyards showed good canopy development, and less sunburn was observed than

Following an excellent 2025 harvest period characterised by moderate conditions, the post-harvest period was dry and warm, and many

dryland blocks – particularly in the Malmesbury area – lost their leaves earlier than normal. Dam levels were generally very low; adequate soil moisture availability and active canopies are both critical components for the effective accumulation of carbohydrate reserves. Sufficient rainfall was recorded from May, and chill units accumulated rapidly. The winter was cold, and the accumulation of chill units up to the end of August was above average, which would positively affect uniform bud break. Winter rainfall, however, was well below the long-term average, with only 60–70% of the typical winter precipitation received. Some areas recorded up to 150 mm less rainfall than normal. Rainfall events were, however, relatively evenly distributed, and only minor runoff damage was observed. Following a cold winter, temperatures rose rapidly with the onset of spring. The timing of bud break was normal and in line with the previous season, and bud break was generally uniform, apart from Shiraz, which was slightly uneven. Snail pressure was problematic in lower-lying areas. Topsoil conditions were drier than normal during spring, although subsoil moisture remained at capacity. Initial strong growth coupled with excellent winter chilling and warmer soils had a positive effect on fertility (particularly in early cultivars), which is often suppressed by cold spring conditions. Bunch numbers in Pinotage, for example, showed a year-on-year increase of up to 25%. November and December were both warmer than normal. Figure SW 1 illustrates the increased accumulation of growing degree days, and vegetative (canopy) and reproductive (flowers and grapes) growth consequently progressed more rapidly. Owing to this stronger growth, vineyard canopies were denser than usual; however, producers were advised to perform less severe topping actions under the prevailing warm and dry conditions.

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