Michael Nkalane
INFERIOR wines and a decrease in production can be expected after vines were contaminated by smoke during the Simonsberg fire.
Smoke filters through the skin of grapes, which changes the taste and may result in inferior wine.
Rustenberg Wines business manager Tammy Barlow said the loss of 5ha of vines would result in a production decrease.
Stellenbosch wine estates were affected last week when a fire on the Simonsberg mountain spread. Among those affected were Rustenberg, Zorgvliet and Delheim.
Zorgvliet winemaker Bernard le Roux said they lost a hectare of vines.
“Three vineyards were scorched, leaving grapes tainted with smoke. And that is not good when grapes are affected by smoke,” he said.
Barlow said there would be a decrease in production after five vineyards and grape processing infrastructure were destroyed.
“There will be no harvesting in five hectares. That is a significant production. But my biggest worry is inferior wine that consumers can expect. Once smoke gets into grapes, you can expect a bad taste of wine,” she said.
Backsberg Estate Cellars chief executive Simon Back said if a vineyard was destroyed or badly damaged by fire, then conceivably the vineyard would have to be replanted. It would take five years from planting for a vineyard to produce quality grapes,” Back said.
VinPro economist Andries van Zyl said the cost of losing a hectare of vineyard to fire amounted to almost R240 000. This included loss of income, additional labour to uproot damaged vines and the re-establishment of vines.