The 2025 harvest season at Waterford Estate stands as a testament to the resilience of our vineyards, with record-breaking rainfall, optimal dormancy conditions, and a later-than-usual harvest contributing to what promises to be an exceptional vintage.
Winter and growing season: a record-breaking start
The end of the 2024 season presented challenges, with strong winds in March stripping the vines of their leaves at a crucial time for building reserves. "It was a sensitive period for our vines, and the winds made it difficult for them to store energy for the next season," noted viticulturist David van Schalkwyk. This was followed by a very warm and dry lead into winter, capped off by a severe windstorm in mid-April, which further impacted reserve buildup, as noted by cellarmaster Mark le Roux.
Despite the late arrival of winter cold, with our normal number of cold units only being reached in August, it turned out to be one of the colder winters in the past five years, according to Mark. "The vineyards experienced more than enough rain and cold this past winter. The excess water wasn’t an issue either because the vines were in a dormant state," he explained. Here at Waterford Estate, 300 mm of rain fell in July alone, accounting for 50% of our annual rainfall and filling both dams and underground water reserves.
Budding took place 10 to 14 days later than usual due to the delayed cold. Fortunately, this resulted in good, even budding with slow, steady early-season growth. The warmer temperatures in September gave the season a promising start, while October remained moderate to cool compared to other vintages, according to Mark.
Our Dexter cattle played a crucial role in vineyard management, efficiently grazing on the fast-growing cover crops. "For the first time, we were able to graze all our vineyards except the control areas, and early soil testing is already showing improved soil health," said David. This was also the first season we utilised our drone technology, which proved highly effective. "With the late and intense rains, avoiding compacting the wet soil was a major benefit," he added.
Spring: Balanced conditions with some challenges
The spring season saw reduced winds and a strong flowering phase, which was welcome in contrast to last year's heavy winds that quickly diminished our crop. However, late October and early November rains created favourable conditions for vineyard infections. We take our hats off to David and his team as they jumped into action quickly and ensured our vineyards remained healthy.
The moderate temperatures and controlled growth helped maintain a balanced canopy with no excessive density, as Mark reported. "Moderate to cool weather kept growth under control. A little unevenness did occur due to rain at flowering, but overall, the growth was strong," he noted.
David and assistant viticulturist Simon Terblanche worked closely with the team to green harvest, ensuring that only the strongest shoots thrived. This careful approach maximised the potential for concentrated, high-quality fruit.
Harvest season: Slow start, swift finish
The 2025 harvest began two weeks later than usual, with a slow and promising start. Mark commented, "Grape analysis looked really good at the start. Great acids and low sugars allowed us time to patiently wait for phenolic ripeness." Winemaker Jamie Papenfus was excited about the conditions leading up to harvesting, saying: "We had a good season leading up to 2025 with good winter rainfalls and moderate temperatures during flowering that set the stage for a good harvest."
December and January were the coolest they’ve been in five years, allowing for extended hang time and steady ripening. February remained dry and began warming up, while March emerged as the hottest in the past five years, accelerating ripening and prompting a rapid end to the season. "The last 20% of the harvest came in really fast as sugars were spiking by the hour," Mark added.
Three distinct heat spikes – on 25 December, the end of January, and early March – grabbed our attention, but our vineyards have built up resilience over the many years, and the ripening progressed well, offering great opportunities for flavour development. "The harvest season felt hot and dry, but the fruit looked healthy as it started to arrive at the cellar," Jamie added. "The extended hang time for our red grapes gave us exceptional ripeness."
Fermentation for the red wines delivered promising signs early on. "The fermentation smells were very exactly what we are looking for during pump overs, with good structure and tannins in the wine," noted Jamie. "With fermentation done, everything is now in barrel going through malolactic fermentation."
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc performed exceptionally well, showing strong growth and deeply concentrated fruit. Malbec and Barbera also showed great promise, while Shiraz, though sensitive to drought and heat, held up admirably. "Overall, the vineyards held up very well, with most cultivars delivering strong yields," said David.
A promising vintage for Waterford Estate
The 2025 vintage reflects the resilience and strength of our vineyards. With a late start, consistent cool conditions, and a fast-paced finish, these wines show depth, structure, and remarkable concentration. "As it stands, the wines in barrel look really good – great acids, good tannins with tension," says Mark. "I’m quite excited to see what the wines deliver once we start tasting through all of them."
The Waterford Estate team remains dedicated to translating these exceptional conditions into wines that express the beauty of our terroir and the unwavering commitment to quality that defines our estate. As we look ahead, we anticipate that the wines from this vintage will be among our finest yet – elegant, intense, and unmistakably expressive of the Cape Winelands.