Sugar and Spice - Harvest 2023

It’s showtime for Sugar and Spice, the two vines we’ve been following for the last 10 months. Harvest 2023 is upon us and is in full swing, right on schedule this year.

These two vines located on opposite sides of the farm in vastly different soils contribute to two of our most beloved wines: Sugarbush Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and Conebush Single Vineyard Syrah.

The Sugarbush vineyard planted on the north western slopes of the farm was the final Sauvignon Blanc to be harvested. Sugar will be picked today at an approximate balling of 23.1 and in fantastic condition, filled with stunning flavours.

Fermentation will begin on Wednesday in a stainless steel tank. In about 10-14 days the wine will be completely dry but will remain on the fine lees until bottling.

What does Sugar do now?

The day a vineyard is harvested, the next vintage begins. The stress of ripening the grapes can take a lot out of a vine. Immediately after the bunches are picked, water and nutrients are given to the vine. The goal is to replenish energy stores and keep the canopy green and healthy for as long as possible as the days get shorter and colder with winter approaching. The work for the 2023 vintage has just concluded for Sugar, but now the vine is hard at work on the next vintage already.

How about Spice?

Veraison has now concluded in the Syrah vineyards but this later-ripening cultivar is still busy building up sugars in the berries. By our estimates, we have another 2-3 weeks before Spice is harvested.

With a few rain storms in the forecast and the iconic Cape Agulhas sea fog sitting in the vineyards each morning, this is the part of harvest where the winemakers become quite anxious. Balancing ripeness with the health of the fruit is key.

Cheers to 2023!