Tucked behind Table Mountain, abundant with grapevines, the scene at Cape Town’s boutique vineyard, Beau Constantia, sets the stage for introspection about the future of wine and the challenges that farmers face as they look to weather the growing impact of climate change.
Producing world-class wine is a meticulous, methodical process, in which patience, knowledge, and adaptability are non-negotiables – more so now than ever.
“It’s all about balance. You’re always trying to remain in touch with your ever-changing environment,” says Megan van der Merwe, Beau Constantia’s winemaker and viticulturist.
Every glass of wine holds – and will always hold – traces of ancient techniques and tells, but climate change is forcing winemakers to rewrite the rulebook. Modern problems require advanced solutions, and, for South Africa, like many wine regions worldwide, that means counteracting rising temperatures and declining annual rainfall.
Abrasive weather can modify the composition of vines and grapes, which are notoriously sensitive to changing weather patterns. For instance, high sun exposure burns the skin of the grapes, while a sudden flood is known to dilute flavors. Droughts can stress vines beyond their breaking point (risking yield collapse).
“The game is changing,” van der Merwe admits, before adding, “Winemakers are spending a lot more time outside. There’s this big misconception that, as [Charles] Darwin said, it’s the strongest species that survives, but it’s obviously the species that’s the most adaptable to change.”
South Africa’s love affair with wine stretches back centuries. In 1685, Simon van der Stel established the first wine farm in Cape Town’s idyllic Constantia Valley, later becoming Groot Constantia.
“To have produced wine consistently for over 300 years shows the need for conscious sustainability and long-term thinking,” says Daniel Keulder, Groot Constantia’s cellarmaster.
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