The crop is still estimated to be smaller than in 2021, but larger than the five-year average.
“Although we started later than normal with the harvest, all ten wine producing regions have harvested a significant amount of grapes at this stage, which gives a good indication of volumes being delivered to cellars up to now,” says Conrad Schutte, manager of Vinpro’s viticultural consulting service, which issued the fourth crop estimate with SAWIS (SA Wine Industry Information & Systems). “The grape quality also looks good at this stage, which means that we can expect exceptional wines from the 2022 vintage.”
“According to the WineMS information management software, about 65% of the average wine grape harvest that goes through its system annually, has been taken in at cellars – almost a week later than normal,” says Christo Spies, WineMS CEO. The coastal regions are close to harvesting their last grapes, while most of the inland regions have passed the halfway mark.
The 2022 season was characterised by cooler weather conditions from winter to mid-December last year, which resulted in later than normal budding, flowering, veraison and ripening. Warm periods in December and January accelerated ripening, but the harvesting programme for most cultivars were still delayed by about seven to ten days.
Although there is variation in the crop estimate per region, the total crop is expected to be smaller, due to the geographical diversity of the respective regions. “The smaller harvest can mainly be attributed to showers in the Northern Cape and Klein Karoo that resulted in losses due to fungal diseases and rot; sunburn damage due to heat waves in the Swartland, Paarl and Robertson regions, as well as the uprooting of vineyards in certain regions due to financial considerations,” Conrad says.
On the other hand, favourable growth conditions, effective fungal disease control and sufficient irrigation water have thus far contributed to a bigger harvest in Stellenbosch and the Cape South Coast.
The final crop estimate by viticulturists and producer cellars will be issued in May 2022, together with the official SA Wine Harvest Report.
AFRIKAANS
Na ʼn stadige aanloop is parstyd goed op dreef met meer as die helfte van Suid-Afrika se 2022-wyndruifoes wat reeds by kelders ingeneem is. Die oes word steeds kleiner as in 2021 geskat, maar groter as die vyfjaargemiddeld.
“Hoewel parstyd later as normaal afgeskop het, het al tien die produserende streke op hierdie stadium ʼn noemenswaardige hoeveelheid druiwe gepars en gee dit ʼn goeie aanduiding van volumes wat tans by kelders gelewer word,” sê Conrad Schutte, bestuurder van Vinpro se wingerdkundige konsultasiediens, wat die vierde oesskatting saam met SAWIS (SA Wynbedryfinligting & -Stelsels) uitgereik het. “Die druifgehalte lyk ook op hierdie stadium baie goed, wat belofte inhou vir ʼn uitstekende 2022-oesjaar.”
“Volgens die WineMS-inligtingsbestuursagteware is nagenoeg 65% van die wyndruifoes wat gemiddeld jaarliks deur die stelsel gaan, reeds ingeneem – sowat ʼn week later as normaal,” sê Christo Spies, WineMS-bestuurshoof. Die kusgebiede is naby aan klaar gepars, terwyl die binnelandse streke meestal oor die halfpadmerk is.
Die 2022-seisoen is gekenmerk deur koeler weerstoestande vanaf die winter tot en met middel Desember, wat daartoe gelei het dat bot, blom, deurslaan en rypwording in die wingerde later as normaal plaasgevind het. Warm periodes gedurende Desember en Januarie het die rypwordingstempo versnel, maar die normale parsprogram vir die meeste kultivars is steeds sowat sewe tot tien dae vertraag.
Die totale oes word kleiner beraam, hoewel daar verskille is in die oesskatting per streek na gelang van die onderskeie streke se geografiese diversiteit. “Die kleiner oes kan hoofsaaklik toegeskryf word aan reënbuie in die Noord-Kaap en Klein Karoo wat verliese weens swamsiektes en vrot tot gevolg gehad het; sonbrandskade weens hittegolwe in die Swartland, Paarl en Robertson, asook wingerduitkappings in sekere streke weens finansiële oorwegings,” sê Conrad.
Hierteenoor dra gunstige groeitoestande, doeltreffende swamsiektebeheer en voldoende besproeiingswater tot dusver by tot beter oeste in Stellenbosch en die Kaap Suidkus.
Die finale oesskatting deur wingerdkundiges en produsentekelders word in Mei 2022 uitgereik, saam met die amptelike SA Wynoesverslag.
