about the harvest: The build-up to the season, climate wise, has been very promising. We had good rainfall in the winter and spring of 2012, resulting in high water reserves in the vineyards. The prevailing South Easterly Wind (the Cape Doctor) swept through most of the Western Cape during late spring and early summer. Fortunately for us, all the vines were already through fruit set and the wind had positive effect in protecting on a natural way against fungal disease pressure by keeping conditions dry and therefore lowering humidity in the canopy.
December also brought warm days and bright sunshine – due to our proximity to the ocean, temperatures remained moderate. From beginning January right through the picking season of February and March, we did not have any heat waves and in most circumstances had a cooler ripening period than in past vintages.
The challenge we did experience was three rainfalls but the positives outstretch the negatives in cooling down and nurturing the vineyards by relieving water stress.