Celebrating Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa
In celebration of Sauvignon Blanc month, we caught up with Thys Louw, the owner of Diemersdal Estate and the vice-chairperson of the Sauvignon Blanc Association. May is International Sauvignon Blanc Month (Sauvignon Blanc Day is celebrated annually on the 3rd); as a top Sauvignon Blanc producer, how did you celebrate
Key trends to elevate CapeWine 2025
With CapeWine 2025 planning commencing, we look to recent international exhibitions for key trends that can help ensure a successful show for all South African wine and brandy producers. The 30th ProWein 2024 trade fair took place in Düsseldorf from 10 to 12 March and welcomed wine experts from all
Optimal cover crop termination strategy
In France, the term service crop is used rather than cover crop. It refers to different services the crop delivers to the soil and vines. Just like in South Africa, a lot of research is done to better understand the benefits of these crops in a holistic farming system. This
Vitamin preferences of non-Saccharomyces wine yeasts
In winemaking, the spotlight has recently shifted towards non-Saccharomyces yeasts, which have shown significant potential to enhance the complexity and quality of wines. While Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long been the dominant player in wine fermentation, researchers are now uncovering the unique contributions of non-Saccharomyces yeasts. Part of this research is
The WOW factor – Creation Wines
As a South African producer, Creation Wines was recently recognised among the best global brands. The cellar’s mission is to transform agriculture’s value, starting with its love for the land and respect for nature. Carolyn Martin from Creation Wines says the award for brand experience is a significant achievement because
Wines impressed at Mzansi Young Farmer Indaba 2024
The South Africa Wine Enterprise Development division attended the third instalment of the Mzansi Young Farmer Indaba from 4 to 6 April, hosted in Pretoria North with a selection of exciting black-owned brands, Natasha Williams Signature Wines, HER wines, LucMo Wines, Brunia Wines, Zoetendal Vineyards, Francis Wines, Three Quarters, and
Taking South African wine to the world – in Germany
In March every year, the world of wine descends on the German city of Düsseldorf, aptly named after the Düssel River, which divides the city into four branches. The fair takes place throughout 13 huge halls that host wineries and distilleries and their representatives from around the globe. The fairground,
Systems and holistic approaches key to human development
In the sustained pursuit of professional recognition of skills and education, South Africa Wine’s People Development division is a value-driven entity with a strong emphasis on teams and individuals eager to acquire new skills, hone talent, and expand expertise to ultimately establish an inclusive and dynamic wine industry in South
Leadership Development Programme for production-level managers
South Africa Wine is creating an opportunity for the development of our future industry leaders. The Hortgro/Mzars programme developed 107 leaders in the Western Cape Agri Sector with a marked difference in their leadership capability, impact on their teams and results post the leadership programme. Due to the programme’s tremendous
The Confronting Climate Change initiative
In an era where climate change is no longer just a looming threat but a pressing reality, industries worldwide seek ways to mitigate their carbon footprint. Among these sectors, the fruit and wine industries stand out for their significant environmental impact. However, with the introduction of the Confronting Climate Change
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THE EVOLUTION OF WORLD WINE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION BY COLOUR – OIV 2023 REPORT
This report on the Evolution of World Wine Production and Consumption by Colour has been prepared by the Statistics Department of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). Over the past decades, the world wine sector has seen an overall positive production and consumption trend of white and rosé
Choosing commercial yeasts
The two most important considerations for optimal fermentation are, firstly, the yeast(s) ability to ferment to dryness in the given conditions without becoming sluggish or stuck and within the time frame required for process optimisation, and secondly, the sensory profile of the yeast. These two aspects go hand in hand.
Ageing on lees
For many wines, ageing on the lees is fundamental to their production, most notably in traditional-method sparkling wines and white Burgundy. Producers of the former tout the time spent on lees as a quality indicator, and many still wines call out their sur lie production on the label. What the
The Shiraz Times November 2023
On 8 November 2023, Shiraz SA held their 16th annual technical seminar. During this event, the first edition of the Shiraz Times magazine was launched. The magazine is a South Africa Wine publication compiled for Shiraz SA to support the cultivar association in their knowledge transfer and marketing efforts of
FACTORS INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE UPTAKE BY PRACTITIONERS: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KNOWLEDGE
Various factors influence whether practitioners such as grape producers, viticulturists and winemakers will acquire new information. The previous two blogs discussed the influence of practitioners’ individual characteristics and the knowledge source’s characteristics. This blog discusses the characteristics of the knowledge itself and how it can influence knowledge uptake. The
confronting climate change (ccc) benchmark report 2023
CCC Benchmark Report 2023 The 2023 Confronting Climate Change (CCC) industry benchmark process builds on 2021 – 2022 datasets and provides a meaningful platform for the South African fruit and wine industries to improve their understanding of the use of fossil fuel-based resources and to reduce emissions over time. The
FACTORS INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE UPTAKE BY PRACTITIONERS: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KNOWLEDGE SOURCE
Many factors can influence practitioner knowledge uptake and utilisation. The first blog in the series dealt with the individual characteristics of practitioners. This second blog discusses the characteristics of the knowledge source and how it influences knowledge uptake. The two most important factors are the credibility of the knowledge provider
Factors influencing knowledge uptake by practitioners: Individual characteristics
Introduction This blog is the first in a series of four blogs that delve into the factors determining whether practitioners (e.g. producers, viticulturists and winemakers) will engage with new information presented to them. ‘New information’ in this context refers to anything new to you. It is your first time hearing
Settling before red wine fermentation
Results from a study presented by Encarna Gómez-Plaza at Enoforum Web Scientists Conference 2023 revealed that settling red juice and adding the grape skins/marc back to conduct the fermentation can increase the colour and tannin content of the final wine significantly. In fact, the anthocyanin and tannin concentrations were not
Shiraz Technical Seminar 2022
The annual Shiraz technical workshop is one of the most important events for any producer of Shiraz. Apart from local and international speakers addressing a broad spectrum of viticultural and oenological aspects of Shiraz production, the tastings also cover exciting elements such as clones, terroir and international wines. The Shiraz
