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| © Lowell Jooste |
| Simonsberg fire, Stellenbosch. |
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The old belief held there was no vintage variation in the Cape; nowadays it is recognised that vintages do differ. The 2000 summer was certainly different, being marked by an extremely hot growing season and unrelenting drought, said to be the most severe for the past 40 years. Turning up the temperature dial further were devastating fires that swept across prime vineyards on the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch and the forested slopes above Constantia. Irrigation or crop control proved vital tools for success. Stellenbosch
Although the long-term effect of the Simonsberg fire has still to be assessed, it destroyed vines, some of the nearly-ripe grapes (20% of the crop on Delheim) and, now it is realised, some of the wine. Thelema's Gyles Webb reports that smoke, which penetrated the skin of the grapes, has irreversibly damaged the wine. However, the remaining healthy grapes have produced pleasing reds and whites. The effects of the heat, drought, and delayed or uneven budding were partially counteracted by cooler temperatures during January and February; these promoted concentrated flavours in whites from cooler spots. Ben Radford, Group Chief Winemaker for Winecorp, which manages vineyards throughout the Stellenbosch and Durbanville regions, maintains '2000 was a harvest managed by canopy; those who left more leaf cover made the better wines, whites especially'. Pre-harvest conditions produced reds with smaller berries; where they were able to fully ripen, they have full colour, good flavours, tannins - and generous alcohols - but also above-average pHs and low acids. Merlot and shiraz stand out.
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| © Lowell Jooste |
| Helicopters putting out Simonsberg fire, Stellenbosch. |
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Constantia
The fire destroyed nearly 7000 ha of mountainside forest and fynbos (indigenous bush) but amazingly the vineyards on the cool, sea-facing slopes, suffered little damage. Klein Constantia did lose some sauvignon blanc, 'but that was due to the helicopters sandblasting the vines while taking water from our dam to douse the fire', recalls co-owner, Lowell Jooste. Like Cape vineyards generally, Constantia experienced the third hot, dry summer in a row, each following warmer and drier than usual winters. Few of its vineyards are irrigated, resulting in high water stress and low yields. Sauvignon Blanc, the area's flagship white, and red varieties show excellent fruit, but chardonnay suffered from lack of proper dormancy and strong wind during flowering. Walker Bay/Elgin
Two relatively new, cool-climate areas east of Cape Town with a growing reputation for pinot noir. 'The earliest and the shortest harvest since we started', says Andries Burger, winemaker at Elgin's Paul Cluver winery. 'February and March were cooler than either 1999 or 1998 and grape temperature never exceeded 23 C'. Burger believes 2000 is a red wine year, although sauvignon blanc, gewurztraminer and, especially, chardonnay have good fruit concentration. Anthony Hamilton-Russell of Walker Bay's Hamilton Russell Vineyards sums up 2000 as 'a truly exceptional pinot noir year; reds in general are rich, voluptuous, with deeply structured palates and dark berry fruit. Chardonnay and whites in general combine opulence with tightness.' A severe hailstorm hit Walker Bay on 22nd December, performing its own crop-thinning - up to 60% was lost at Beaumont in Bot River, but subsequent warm, drying winds prevented the spread of rot. Paarl
A widespread region covering many microclimates and suited to many varieties and styles. The weather pattern followed that of neighbouring regions. 'The window for harvesting sauvignon was hours rather than day's, notes Villiera's Jeff Grier, one of the country's top sauvignon producers. 'They are a little lighter in alcohol, as those flavours were reached at lower sugars but are balanced'. Some excellent chenin blancs, with chardonnay generally promising. Fairview, a major viognier and mourvedre player, confirms both wines are concentrated and well-structured. The warm, sub-region of Wellington, traditionally a white wine area, has had a good year for reds with shiraz performing particularly well.
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| © Lowell Jooste |
| Sandblasted Sauvignon Blanc vines. |
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Swartland
A west coast region characterised by many bush vine, dryland vineyards planted on deep, moisture-retentive soils. Eben Sadie, winemaker at Spice Route notes that: 'There was not a drop of rain between October and March, with dryland farming that makes a world of difference, as does the 25mm we never received at veraison. Where no irrigation was available, crop reduction and waiting for full ripeness were essential for success. Shiraz at 25 hl/ha produced some of the best wines ever. The heat favoured the fuller, wood-matured styles of sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc'. Robertson
This inland area, with its unusual limestone soils is known for chardonnay, with colombard important for brandy and early-drinking table wines. A 20% crop reduction on 1999 is attributed to the weather and quality oriented vineyard practices. Pieter Ferreira of Graham Beck, a sparkling wine specialist and a leading red wine producer, comments: '2000 was one of the most challenging and long seasons. February's humidity caused a lot of fungus; mist until mid-day meant nine days harvesting instead of the normal 21. The whites are alright; the reds, 27% down on 1999, are slower to show but our bubblies improve every year; early summer is always wonderful'. Durbanville
Durbanville's vineyards border Cape Town's northern suburbs, receiving the sea-cooling influence from both the Atlantic and False Bay. It is the one region uniformly enthusiastic about sauvignon blanc. 'We also have great chardonnay - both varieties are possibly even better than last year', maintain the six producers. High rainfall in the June-August period coupled with the valley's deep soils, ensured minimal vine stress during the dry summer. Extraordinarily high January temperatures were followed by a more normal average of 20.7 C. pre-harvest. Rapid night time cooling, aided by evening mists rolling in from the sea, and a full 'head' canopy preserved maximum flavours. The area's classic red varieties have also performed well, though it took until mid-April for cabernet sauvignon to fully ripen. Other, mainly bulk-producing regions, also reported a crop reduction between 7% and 25%. Countrywide, the harvest totalled 850 million gross litres, approximately 7% down on 1999. Click here for the first of Michael Fridjhon's 5-part series, A history of the modern Cape wine industry. | 
Jul 17 2000 | Author: Angela Lloyd
