Attributing the issue to poor site selection, Kotzé (left) explained: “A lot of people planted anywhere just after apartheid”, as he argued that many varieties were simply planted in the wrong place. Although the problem is becoming rarer and is most frequently associated with the sensitive Pinotage variety, Kotzé conceded that it can still be found in some of South Africa’s Bordeaux blends, the flagship style of Morgenster. “There are certain areas where you know you’re not meant to plant Merlot that it will happen,” he remarked. “You need the right clones and the right cultivars on the right sites.” Read on.