1st Press - Pinot Noir for Kaapse Vonkel
After careful planning and plenty of Balling measurements the Pinot Noir once again became the first wine to make the leap from vineyard to cellar at Simonsig Wine Estate this year.
Johan Malan, Cellarmaster at Simonsig, is especially pleased with the exceptional quality and healthy condition of the vines at the start of the 2013 harvest. This year’s harvest commenced later than the previous year due to the very cold weather, heavy rains and flooding during last winter.
"While the 2012 winter was very cold and wet, December was one of the warmest months in decades, which sped up the growth and ripening of the grapes tremendously. The average temperature in Stellenbosch was 2,5°C warmer than the 47-year long-term average. With these favourable dry weather conditions, the vineyards are beautiful and healthy," says Johan.
The early estimates for the total South African vintage is that it will be one of the biggest harvests ever. Simonsig expects an average or even slightly smaller harvest than the last two seasons.
"Quality is always our primary objective, but we are hoping that nature be kind to us, as there are still plenty of risks," added Johan.
