KWV Wines has seen significant changes over the last 6 years, their wines across the ranges are aligned with International trends and quality has never been higher since the wine making team, were joined and headed by Richard Rowe, however one "unsung" hero here is Chief Viticulturist, Marco Ventrella, one of South Africa's most astute guy in the fields has quietly and confidently deliver the right grapes to Richard and his team, the results are palpable, winning all the key competitions locally and Internationally, the wines shows incredible balance,purity and freshness.
We should see more exciting wines from KWV towards spring as the first white wines get released which will be followed by the reds.
Please read below Marco's 2013 Harvest Report
Marco Ventrella
Winter
2012 (May-August):
The winter preceding the 2013 vintage saw a much welcomed
return of traditional Western Cape climatic conditions. We received more than
enough winter cold units to ensure strong and even budding throughout the
important periods for the various cultivars. We also had fantastic winter rains
after two years of dry winters we received as much as 35% more rainfall than
the long term averages.
This saw our season kick off with more than enough soil
moisture, full dams and a good dormancy period.
Spring
2012 (Sep-Nov):
Late rains and cold spells saw most areas budding 10-14 days
late. Bud break was however even and was followed by strong growth helped on by
very favorable soil moisture conditions.
Weather conditions were mild to cold in most areas with some
variability. The Cape Doctor (South-South East winds) was very much in evidence
and blew for 6 weeks in the coastal regions while late varieties were flowering
causing some fruit set issues (Hen & Chicken). Most varieties however
experienced no harm from this constant wind.
The effect was more a reduction of
vigor and drying of soils which in most cases were favorable to quality. Flowering dates for the most part mirrored
the budding dates indicating a season 8-14 days late depending on region.
The lateness of the season together with labour industrial
action on a provincial level had most farms scrambling to get the vineyard work
done in 3 weeks less time.
Summer
2012/2013 pre harvest (Dec-Jan):
End November and early December saw a Black South Easter wind
tear its way through the Cape causing a fair bit of damage in Coastal regions
literally defoliating exposed vineyards. This period was also very dry with no
significant rainfall. This also helped to slow growth and keep disease pressure
down. Dry land vineyards faired very well due to the good winter and
supplementary spring rains.
Veraison (berry softening and coloring) was also
8-10 days late, however it was extraordinarily rapid with everything going
through in 2 weeks in January (in retrospect our first clue of what vintage had
to offer). Veraison was good and even with very little incidence of live green
ovaries or hen and chicken except Petit Verdot which showed this from
flowering. At this stage we felt this would be a good average yield in most
areas with Coastal regions perhaps up a little.
Vintage
(Feb-April):
Vintage kicked off end Jan early February with white cultivars
approximately 7-10 days late. Dry warm conditions from mid-November with warm
periods from 24th December through early January saw vineyards
growth stop and ripening advance evenly with outstanding Analyses (Ph, TA,
Brix). All indications for an ideal if somewhat late vintage seemed apparent.
Early Red cultivars (Pinotage) were also 8-14 days late.
8-10th February brought an unseasonal rain to most
areas of between 15-70mm depending on area. This was just on the cusp of
Sauvignon Blanc harvesting and in the middle of Chardonnay. This rainfall event
set up a great number of things this vintage.
1.
It replenished Dry Land farmed vineyards soils
moistures and resulted in increased yields of up to 80% (compared to last 2
drought year’s poor yields). It also impacted supplementary areas yields upward
beyond expectation by 5-10%.
2.
It delayed early reds by another 8 days which
would later prove to be instrumental to the season’s great characteristic.
3.
Necessitated a new plan for Sauvignon Blanc intake
parameters to ensure quality, concentration and health.
Hereafter we received follow up rain events almost weekly (or
at least it felt that way) and knew we were in a vintage that would require new
plans and new management on an almost daily basis. 65% of our White Grapes were
brought in in the 3 weeks 10th Feb-3rd March.
Winemakers
worked around the clock to get the fruit in and ensure our styles and quality
standards would be met.
March came and reds that had had been slow to ripen till now
seemed to ripen all at once over a weekend. Our red winemakers went from a
standing start to receiving 600 tons per day overnight. We found ourselves
harvesting Pinotage (Early variety) and Cabernet Sauvignon (Late variety) from
the same farms at the same time.
All the fruit was ripe at the same time. We
brought in 72% of our red grapes in the 3 weeks 10th-24th
March. Fermentation capacity, crush speed, bins, logistics were all challenges
the wine team were faced with on a scale not seen in the Cape in decades.
Elgin
and Overberg whites were also coming in and the rain events kept occurring into
April. We finally finished harvesting with Elgin Cabernet Sauvignon and
Mourvedre from Breedekloof on the 12th of April.
Overview:
Now that the dust has settled so to speak I reflect with
hindsight on a vintage that perhaps lifted a curtain of things to come with
climate change but certainly a vintage that proved once more that there are no
recipes in fine wine.
We were challenged, growers and winemaking team alike to
constantly adjust our thoughts and perceptions to meet the reality. 2013 vintage
at times seemed both pernicious and inspiring, full of heartbreak and glory in
equal measure.
Qualitatively it is my opinion the challenge has been met. The
Sauvignon Blancs are outstanding with full fresh fruit and gorgeous structure.
The Chenin is her full honeyed, tropical self in splendor. Cabernets are juicy
and concentrated, Merlots are ripe and silky, Petit Verdot is inky and
structured and Shiraz is a spiced fruit bomb.
As we settle into malolactic fermentation and barrel
maturation I cannot shake the feeling that 2013 felt like 3 vintages in one. I
am so looking forward to her in bottle.
