26/01/2026
At budbreak for the 2026 harvest, we began to notice extraordinary vine vitality. New shoots showed remarkable strength and growth, weathering the persistent warm winds that the Swartland brings during the early phases of flowering. Our 1981 Chardonnay bush vines, the oldest in the country grown at , revealed growth we had never seen before. From that moment, we knew this year would be something special.
Now that we have completed the first rush of harvest, we can pause for a moment to reflect on these early fruits. We began with Pinotage, followed shortly by Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier. What you are seeing here is the first Chenin Blanc going to the press, forming the foundation of our white blend.
We could not be more pleased. For the first time, these vines are not only yielding optimally under our dryland Swartland conditions, but the fruit itself is showing remarkable and consistent finesse. Fruit with depth of flavour, balance, vibrancy, and poise. These are key aspects we focus on in our wines, as we aim to highlight their origin at the highest quality potential we can possibly achieve. Our wines are designed to show powerful character without compromise. Needless to say, we are in massive anticipation of these wines.
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We cannot wait to share more as this harvest unfolds. 2026 is shaping up to be a truly remarkable year.
