The first harvest estimate for the 2025 wine grape crop was release in December 2024, with South African viticulturists and producer cellars predicting an improvement on the previous year’s record low yield. Early forecasts indicate an expected crop likely on par with the 2023 harvest of 1.183 million tonnes, the second smallest crop in the past two decades.
The Tatler approached some local wine makers for their harvest expectations.
Clayton Reabow – Môreson Winemaker
Conditions during the growing season have been ideal and less interrupted than the previous 2 years due to extreme weather events. Of importance in most regions is the recovery of harvesting yield which was severe in 2024 with most producers reporting a loss of up to 30% on grape harvest yields. We are optimistic at this point that while we don’t anticipate a full recovery to normal grape yields, that the grape harvest will be larger than 2024.
The ripening period thus far has also been very good for flavour development and optimal ripeness. Sugar accumulation has been low in comparison to previous years and we are observing a sugar unit accumulation of 0.3 Balling a day. This is of course due to the current weather being cooler with no sporadic heat waves as we experienced the last two years in January.
Tim Hoek – Haute Cabrière Cellar Master
Expectations are high for the 2025 harvest after what can only be described as a stellar growing season. Hopefully this year will make us forget the troubles of the 2024 season.
The season started off later than usual after a cold and wet winter and proceeded to be mild throughout the growing season, with only a hand full of days reaching above 35 degrees Celsius. Calm wind conditions encouraged great berry set after flowering and the bunches are all well-formed and ripening slowly and evenly.
Last year our harvest started 15 January. This year we will be lucky to start by the 27 January. This does give us time to focus on getting the last 2024 wines into bottle and ensure the cellar is clean and ready to receive yet another Franschhoek harvest.
Edmund Terblanche – La Motte Keldermeester
Die winter van 2024 was lank en nat. Die wingerde se bot was dus laat. Op die oomblik lyk dit of ons so 10 dae later as gemiddeld sal begin met Sauvignon Blanc en MCC. Rooi kultivars soos Cabernet Sauvignon en Shiraz het normaal deurgeslaan en lyk nie vir my so laat nie en dus verwag ek dat die oes baie gaan oorvleuel teen einde Februarie en dit ’n besige piek gaan bereik. Toestande deur somer was relatief koel met uitsonderings rondom Kersfees en Nuwejaar waar bietjie sonbrand op oop trosse plaasgevind het. Siektedruk was aanvanklik hoog net na bot, maar die droeër toestande later het ons nou met gesonde wingerde gelaat. Die drag lyk baie goed, maar kan dalk bietjie minder wees as laasjaar. Die aangename koel toestande sover in Januarie kan baie goed wees vir geurbehoud en as toestande so aangeaan lyk dit na ’n goeie seisoen met goeie kwaliteit.
Craig McNaught – Stony Brook Winemaker
After two fairly small consecutive vintages, we’re happily expecting a decent-sized harvest for 2025. We experienced a couple of really hot days over Christmas that gave us a fairly heavy dose of sunscald, but fortunately the affected grapes have been ejected from the bunches. This means that the crop size has dwindled a little, but we’re unlikely to see any quality drop off. Other than that, the weather has been playing ball and we’ve not seen any other issues in the vineyards. I think we’re looking at a really promising 2025 vintage.
DP Burger – GlenWood Cellar Master
The 2025 growing season, especially for our chardonnay’s, has been close to perfect with excellent flowering conditions with minimal wind. The 2024 winter was below the norm as far as cold units are concerned, and some irregular budding occurred. Nevertheless, with the very poor 2024 harvest used as base we are looking at an excellent 2025 crop with yield closer to what we are used to. Timing wise, we are heading for similar harvest starting dates as 2024.
We wish all our colleagues a successful and stress-free harvest!
