Meerlust

"Conditions for 2008 were highly localized and therefore it is difficult to make generalizations about the harvest because the weather conditions just prior and during were unseasonally cool and slightly wetter than normal in our area. Therein lay the opportunity.

There was a danger of rot and dilution, especially on the white grapes, but at Meerlust we only have Chardonnay. The small patches that were not healthy were cut out and our viticulturist, Roelie Joubert, managed to keep 95% of the vineyards disease free, mainly through opening the canopy and crop thinning, with regular anti fungal spraying as well.

All the wines are safely in barrel and have just finished the malo-lactic fermentation, and it is time to reflect on the 2007 harvest.

A comparatively cool and wet winter in 2006 was ideal to ensure vine dormancy, timeous budding and equal ripening across the vineyards. Our vineyard manager Roelie Joubert adapted his pruning principles accordingly, and we saw the first flourish of healthy shoots on time in early September, as usual.

All the wines are safely in barrel busy or just finishing the malo-lactic fermentation and it is time to reflect on the 2005 harvest.

A comparatively warm and dry winter in 2004 gave us some cause for concern regarding timeous budding and equal ripening across the vineyards, but our vineyard manager Roelie Joubert adapted his pruning principles accordingly and we saw the first flourish of healthy shoots on time in early September as usual.