Vinpro Technical Harvest Report 2026

Climatic and viticultural trends

without complication, and fruit set was above average. Warm, dry conditions reduced both disease and weed pressure and contributed to balanced, moderate canopy growth. Sustained warm and dry conditions also advanced véraison by five to seven days. Mid- and late-season cultivars, however, underwent véraison closer to their normal timing. The rate of ripening reflected a combination of prevailing conditions and crop load effects. Sauvignon Blanc, for example, ripened rapidly, whereas Chardonnay and Pinotage maintained a slightly slower ripening pace due to higher crop loads. Despite the early season advancement and favourable growing conditions, the high rainfall in February reversed this pattern, resulting in a slower ripening rate throughout the harvest period. General remarks amounting to only 23 mm, as measured at the Aan de Doorns weather station, which kept disease pressure extremely low. In contrast, the high rainfall in February (Figure WO 3) presented challenges for cultivars nearing harvest. Prolonged leaf wetness and elevated humidity (Figure WO 4) resulted in increased incidence of Botrytis, sour rot and Aspergillus, particularly in Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc vineyards. Producers handled and processed these grapes separately to ensure quality. From September 2025, rainfall was exceptionally low, with total precipitation for the growing season (1 September to 31 January 2026)

Post-harvest conditions were favourable, with 30 mm of rainfall recorded in early April 2025 at the Aan de Doorns weather station.

Canopies remained healthy, which would have supported the accumulation of carbohydrate reserves during this period. The first significant rainfall thereafter was only recorded in June 2025, occurring sporadically but sufficiently until the end of July. Both planted and natural cover crops performed less favourably this year due to low late-winter rainfall. Despite the reduced winter rainfall, the Brandvlei Dam remained at capacity, and the season commenced with normal irrigation water allocations. Chill units only began accumulating actively from early June, and by the end of August, 630 Infruitec units had been recorded, comparing well with the previous season. There was therefore no concern regarding bud break, and no dormancy-breaking agents were applied. Early cultivars such as Chardonnay and Pinotage reached bud break seven to ten days earlier than normal, while mid- to late season cultivars were approximately seven days ahead of schedule. Despite the early bud break and initial concern regarding potential frost risk to young shoots, bud break was particularly uniform across the full range of cultivars. The flowering period, like bud break, also occurred earlier. Under favourable conditions, flowering and fruit set progressed

Monthly rainfall (Jun 2025–Jan 2026)

60

50

40

30

20

10

Monthly rainfall (mm)

0

Jun 2025 Jul 2025 Aug 2025 Sep 2025

Oct 2025 Nov 2025

Dec 2025 Jan 2026

Figure WO 1. Rainfall from 1 June 2025 to 31 January 2026, as measured at the Aan de Doorns weather station.

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