Harvest 2026: A Season in Motion

Harvest doesn’t arrive all at once - it sneaks up on you.

One day the vineyards are ticking along, the next things start moving faster than we had time to shake off our Thistle & Weeds. Berries soften, flavours shift and we’re suddenly spending more time outside than anywhere else, boots catching on the odd duwweltjie as we go.

This year, it showed up about two weeks early - our minds still half on summer holiday, the vineyards very much not.

Sun, Soil and a Few Curveballs

Most of the decisions start in the vineyard - and this season, there were plenty of them.

A good winter chill laid the foundation for even budding and strong fertility, followed by a warm, dry spring and early summer that kept things healthy and ensured a good set. 

The rest of the season stayed dry, which kept berry sizes small - especially important for the reds - while holding onto freshness, particularly in our dry-farmed vineyards.

February brought some cooler, occasionally wet weather to slow things down slightly, before a warm finish carried the last fruit through.

As Etienne explains, vines don’t work to calendar days - they respond to accumulated temperature. In the Cape, the Atlantic helps keep things relatively steady, even if the season still has its say - and this one did.

Hail, a 60mm rain day, wildfires in the Cederberg and a late heatwave all played their part. Picking between rain events — and managing tannin extraction carefully in an early, fast-moving vintage - meant timing mattered more than usual.

Where Things Speed Up

Once the fruit starts coming in, the pace shifts.

Days move between vineyard and cellar - tasting fruit, making calls, checking ferments, and back again. It’s hands-on, all the way through.

This year, we hit a record we’re particularly chuffed with: just over 50 tons through our Leef op Hoop cellar. This meant more space, more vessels and a bit more room to do things properly.

We also had two interns join us from Switzerland and Germany, which always adds a bit of energy to the longer days (and a decent playlist to go with it).

The approach stays the same: keep it clean, keep it honest and don’t interfere unless you need to. Some parcels run smoothly, others need a bit more attention. Temperature, timing and extraction all come back to what we saw in the vineyard.

New Parcels, Old Friends

This year also brought a few firsts - including processing white grapes at Leef op Hoop for the first time, some destined for Vinkel and Duwweltjie, and working with new parcels like Chenin Blanc on granite, alongside Touriga Nacional and Syrah.

We also finally got around to something we’ve been talking about for years: a proper producer and grower braai at our cellar to mark the end of harvest.

Once the fruit was in, we invited the people behind the vineyards around for a well-earned catch-up over food, wine and a bit less urgency than usual. It was long overdue - and a very good reminder that none of this happens on our own.

A Season That Kept Us Paying Attention

Every harvest has its own rhythm. Steph sums this one up simply: “Early, fresh, finished,” while assistant winemaker Schalk really felt the gees, pressure aside - calling it “fast, fantastic, fun”.

It’s been an above-average crop with good quality across the board, a few records to note and the kind of vintage that kept us on our toes. Not chaotic, but one that asked for attention at every step.

The Final Stretch

With the last fruit in, things shift gear again.

The final ferments still need a steady hand to see them through, and right now it’s about taking stock - making sure every wine is where it should be before heading to barrel. After that, it’s time for a proper clean-up and a moment to reset - less romantic, equally necessary.

From here, it’s patience - not for long, but long enough for the wines to settle and show us what they’re all about. Our 11th harvest done and dusted - and one that’s already showing plenty of promise. 

Now it’s over to the wines.