FASHION and wine have a lot more in common than one would think because they both work in seasons, there are different categories and they both have crazy talented tastemakers. Harvest season is officially over and now is the perfect time to be buying last year’s vintage and see what our talented winemakers have been up to the past year.
For those who don’t know what harvest season is, harvest season begins way before the grapes are taken off the vines. During this waiting period of 6 – 16 weeks between the months of January to March, winemakers clean and check all equipment and tools used for the winemaking process. Cellars and tanks are cleared to prepare for the slaughtering of grapes. The process requires intense focus and manual labour.
A common form of trellising found in South Africa is the vertical hedge row that utilizes a split cordon supported on a wire. The grape vines’ leaves have been trained to grow in a way to allow sunlight to the grapes while still protecting the grapes.
South African winemakers are known for harvesting during hot climate weather where there’s a lack of irrigation. Modern winemakers are constantly trying to find new methods to irrigate and save water during these trying times but for those who don’t bother with irrigation, they often use the phrase “dry land”/ “dry farmed” on the wine label. Fungus and mould are at times welcomed visitors depending if botrytised (affected by a fungus) wine production is the aim. Botrytised wine contains unique and concentrated flavours.
After the end of Apartheid and the opening of export markets, the South African wine industry had a learning curve to overcome in order to be recognized in the world’s wine market. Vine Improvement Program (VIP) was established to introduce modern viticultural methods to the industry. The program is currently in its second phase which is an ongoing phase focusing on matching up various combinations of grape varieties, cloning and rootstock to specific terroir that has the potential to grow quality wine. Over the last 20+ years, the VIP has brought lots of attention to the SA wine industry on a global level.
If you’re interested in learning the process of winemaking then I highly advise you to visit a wine cellar during harvest season because it is one of the most spiritual experiences between God and nature and there are so few things left in our world that are artistically untarnished.
Cheers!
Lelethu Zondani is a 27-year-old wine enthusiast who turned her passion for wine into a business of reviewing wine estates and vintages and hosting wine-tasting events. She has been honoured in the Wine Industry’s 30 under 30. INSTAGRAM
Leave a Reply