While some areas were affected by unfavourable weather conditions in December and January, others have managed to compensate by harvesting higher grape volumes.
The 2011 crop - including juice and concentrate for nonalcoholic purposes, wine for brandy and distilling wine - is expected to amount to 992,5-million litres, calculated at an average recovery of 776 litres per ton of grapes. This is 1% more than last year's wine crop.
VinPro's agro-economist, Gert van Wyk said yesterday the country's wine industry had been able to withstand large climatic fluctuations in overall crop size, volumes and quality due to the diversity of the areas under cultivation.
He said the summer months in the current season were characterised by considerable climatic fluctuations. There were areas where unrelenting drought and heat damaged grape crops. "What appeared to be a large crop early in the season, had systematically shrunk due to cold conditions during flowering and a windy December last year".
"Large-scale flood damage along the Orange River also affected the wine crop," he said.
However, this year's wine grape crop proved to be resilient, estimated at 1,3 million tons according to the latest estimate by the SA Wine Industry Information and Systems.
"This is 1,4% more than the 2010 crop," Van Wyk said.
The areas that will have fewer crops are those affected by the floods, such as Orange River, Breedekloof and Worcester
VinPro, which represents 4500 primary wine producers, said the producers, viticulturists and winemakers were positive that the wines would comply with consumer requirements and standards.
Although in some instances the flavours in white cultivars did not live up to expectations, the white wines in general would be attractive and balanced, VinPro said.
The weather conditions led to the harvesting of smaller berry sizes in red grapes. However, these have advantages of intense colour, soft tannins and good structure for wine.
Source: Business Day
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