Our eyes are on
Autumn trends. With new wines and predictions taking place, expert palate at
Wine Cellar, James Pietersen has put up together three important trends to
watch for this season so you can be prepared.
Planting for the
future with Old Vine vision
There has been a lot of communication about the values and
need for nurturing and looking after our old vines heritage.
For many reasons
this is essential and these vineyards have become a clear indication of what
works best. However, the flip side is that these old vines in all their gnarly
beauty are only the beginning of the winemaking story that unfolds.
Our rapidly changing world means that we need to use the
knowledge we have to find new ways of dealing with the future.
With the decline
in vineyard plantings, the ensuing drought and the rising cost of wine growing,
it is now more than ever imperative that we support quality wines in order to
stimulate the planting of new visionary vineyards; the Old Vines of the future.
David and Nadia wines
And this is exactly what is happening. Many of our very best
producers are actively and intelligently planting new vineyards. These include
Sadie Family Wines, Raats Family Wines, Mulllineux, David & Nadia Wines,
Boekenhoutskloof, Alheit Vineyards to name but a few.
So look out for
interesting new wines and new regions coming to the fore.
It is getting hot around here – drought resistance
Climate change is a reality and being in the middle of the
worst drought in 100 years is a clear indication that things are set to change.
The Western Cape
is set to see a 30% drop in average rainfall going forward. That said,
vineyards are of the hardiest and marginal plants out there. As a matter of
fact grapes make the best wine when they struggle.
However, very much like a well-conditioned athlete needs to
be supremely fit but healthy, so too vineyards need to be prepared. Vines need
water.
What does this hold for the future? As we expect climate change to
persist, we will see a drastic drop in quality wines being produced. This
scarcity will translate to higher prices and possibly the relocation of wine
producing regions in the long term.
The growth in the production and quality of
English wine is a good example.
Raats Family Wines.
A rise in new cultivars
Another trend that stems from the drought is the intelligent
new plantings of vineyards in futuristic drought conditions.
We will see a rise
in different cultivars – some that are better suited to drought conditions like
Verdelho, Malvasia Rei, Assystiko and Grenache Noir. Others will be favoured as
they ripen earlier like Gamay Noir and Pinotage, thus missing out on the
severity of the end of the season.