Simonsig Estate Harvest Report 2019

The 2019 harvest season ended in mid April, almost three months after picking commenced,and with volumes up 60 tonnes on last year, it is described as an “an ultra-marathon” by head of production Johan Malan and cellar master Debbie Thompson.

One of the major influences on harvest 2019 was the preceding winter that saw 70% more rainfall than the previous year (regarded as one of the driest in the history of the Cape Winelands). An unexpected warm spell in June 2018 saw temperatures rising to above 30°C, pushing the vineyards to uneven budding and patchy ripening as the berries gained sugar and colour. This resulted in certain varieties being picked in stages, while other grape cultivars ripened simultaneously, placing considerable pressure on the harvest and cellar-teams.