Harvest Report
The Amazing Race - Boschendal Harvest 2011
"When it comes to wine, I tell people to lose the vintage charts and invest in the corkscrew. The best way to learn about wine is in the drinking"
Short and Sweet
2011 had its challenges, but on the whole it was a smooth short vintage.
A drier than usual season meant low water tables in the vineyards with irrigation management high on the agenda this season. Although the crop was lighter than in previous years, the quality of fruit turned out to be very pleasing with some stand out wines to look forward to.
The new year ushered in a mini heat wave in the early days of January providing the tipping point that set the harvest into full swing a week or two earlier than anticipated. Once it was rolling there was no stopping the momentum of mother-nature. In the flash of a few weeks, it was all over. For the first year in a dozen harvests, the winemakers get to put their feet up (or get their surfboards out) over the Easter weekend.
A new generation of Sauvignon Blanc
"18th January 2011 was a day I won't forget," says Boschendal's white winemaker Lizelle Gerber. "It was the first day of the new harvest and we welcomed the first Pinot Noir grapes for our bubbly. It was also the day that both pumps in the winery broke down – ah yes – the fun and games had begun."
The tanks are full of bright new wines that are all behaving as they should so far according to Lizelle. She describes her new Sauvignon Blanc as passionate and open although a bit of a brat this year. "We're seeing more expressive peachy yellow tropical flavours than 2008 but far less minerality and pyrazine traits than 2009. The wines are irresistible and refuse to be ignored shouting bottle me, buy me and DRINK ME now," she says.
Lizelle is a stickler when it comes to mouthfeel and extract in her Sauvignon Blanc. The extreme heat of early January could have spelled disaster for the wine had it not been for the expert heat management in the vineyards by Boschendal's viticulturist Stephan Joubert. Strict evaluation of grapes for sunburn was done at the cellar and skin contact avoided. Lower acidities and phenolic ripeness at lower sugars bode well for effortless easy drinking although not with the greatest longevity
The Quick and the Clandestine
The pace of this crush was matched only by the changing face of the wines according to Red winemaker Thinus Krüger. Our Shiraz has a definite unique stylistic footprint this year revealing itself in unexpected ways. Anticipating the hot conditions we picked 4 different vineyards quite early for more cranberry, strawberry and floral characters, and the rest later. The grapes were generally riper at lower sugars in a fresher style with lots of shining star reserve batches.
"Shiraz is a great variety that is still forgiving if you work it hard. I am very impressed with the colours this year. All batches are lavished with the same care and attention. Some just turn out better than others," adds Thinus.
"A furtive start has given way to really fantastic black and blue fruit characters along with that typical pepper spice. The primary fruit is amazing and looks very promising even at this early stage in barrel. I am happy."
Well rounded flavourful white wines, lower alcohols, softer acids, deep red colours, stealth and structure seem to be the emerging hallmarks of 2011. Only time will tell.