Harvest Report: Riesling 2010

by: Andries Burger, Cellar Master, Paul Cluver Wines, South Africa

During the winter of 2009 we experienced drier conditions than normal, with lower than
normal winter rainfall and slightly warmer conditions resulting in earlier bud break in some
varietals. Spring was much cooler and also quite wet with more than average rainfall and lower
than average temperatures. This resulted in uneven growth especially in the early ripening
varietals; the vines started growing and then stopped due to the cooler conditions. Due to high
wind speed and rain in this period, especially during flowering, we had quite a deduction in crop,
and the wet windy conditions were not favourable for fruit set. In some varietals we have seen a
crop loss of up to 60 %.

Early summer conditions were quite moderate and cool, the result was healthy canopies
with a small crop due to the bad fruit set. This resulted in earlier than normal ripening of most of
the varietals.

Riesling was the opposite of most of the other varietals; Riesling being a late flowering
variety and also more wind resistant, we did not see a reduction in crop. The canopy was very
balanced and the crop ripened normally. The 2010 vintage showed a little more richness than in
2009 but still very elegant fruit with lots of citrus and floral tones. The wine is also developing
very well and should be a cracker.