Gleeful 2019 Harvest kicks off at Tokara

Tuesday, 29 January, 2019
Tokara Wines
Harvest 2019 has started with great exuberance at Tokara, the family owned Stellenbosch wine estate on the crest of the Helshoogte Pass, with relatively cool summer temperatures boding well for a stellar vintage.

The first bounty of the 2019 Tokara harvest was Chenin Blanc, destined to become one of the building blocks of the luxurious Director’s Reserve 10 Year Old Pot still Brandy.

With the Tokara harvest now well under way, winemaker Stuart Botha is upbeat about the prospects of a fine vintage: “All in all we are very excited about the harvest and look forward to making some great quality wines.”

Despite a cool spring with the exception of a few hot days in October followed by rather mild summer temperatures, the cooler conditions have not delayed the onset of the harvest.

“While it is still early days to make any predictions, the cooler ripening may have a positive effect on our red wines as they may benefit from slower ripening and longer hang time in the vineyards,” says Botha.

Allowing the terroir to take centre stage by crafting wines that express their unique sense of place on the foothills of the Simonsberg, is the signature of Tokara winemaking. This requires a measured approach in the cellar to coax the inherent character and complexity from the grapes. To optimise this with as little interference as possible, Botha has made a few tweaks. A new cooling system will benefit the Director’s Reserve White during barrel fermentation of the various components; while two small concrete fermentation tanks will accentuate the fruit purity of the Limited release Pinotage and TELOS, Tokara’s lauded pinnacle Cabernet Sauvignon launched in London last year.

For more information visit www.tokara.com.