Good outlook for wine grapes after ‘excellent winter’

The 2022 wine grape harvest is expected to amount 1,42 million tons. This is 80 000 t above the industry’s five-year average of 1,34 million tons, and 2,2% smaller than the 2020 harvest, which came in at 1,45 million tons. This is according to the first crop estimate.

Conrad Schutte, manager of Vinpro’s team of viticulturists, which issue the crop estimates with the industry body South African Wine Industry Information & Systems (SAWIS), said producers, generally, experienced an excellent winter, due to sufficient cold, as reflected by regular snowfall on mountain peaks, along with consistent rain, which supplemented soil water levels and contributed to a substantial rise in Western Cape dam levels.

“The collective dam level was at 81% by mid-September, just before the start of the 2022 growing season,” he says.

The mostly cool spring and wet soil conditions led to bud break occurring seven to 14 days later than usual. But buddings were consistently good and even, except in the Orange River region. Warmer weather in November accelerated the growth and most vineyards were able to catch up during flowering, which occurred roughly five days later than normal.

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