WYNBOER GUIDELINES FOR FEBRUARY 2000
1 PLANNING
Short term
- Consult your winemaker about your cellar's grading system and/or requirements for specific cultivars.
- Monitor the ripeness of the grapes in the various blocks and plan the harvest programme in conjunction with your winemaker and viticulturist.
- Keep comprehensive records of inter alia irrigation, ripening and production of each block.
Long term
- Orders for vines must be placed before the end of March.
- Order seed for ground cover.
- Make a booking with a contractor for soil preparation as well as lime and/or phosphate and/or gypsum if soil analyses indicate shortages which have to be rectified during soil preparation.
2 VINEYARD PROGRAMME
Monitoring ripeness
- Regularly take bunch or berry samples to monitor the ripening process of each vineyard (see Wynboer Work Programme for January for sampling procedure).
- Take the trouble to press each vineyard at optimum ripeness.
Harvesting of grapes
- Limit the labourer's function as far as possible to the cutting of grapes. A labourer who is hired to cut grapes and then has to spend the major part of the day carrying baskets on his back, is not being used efficiently.
- Productivity of labourers may be increased by good management and supervision as well as the payment of an incentive bonus or by means of piece-work.
- By harvesting at the coolest time of the day (in other words from about sunrise to lunch):
- the productivity of the labourers is increased,
- the quality of the grapes is optimal and
- the cellar's cooling facilities are least tested.
- Do not leave a load of grapes overnight in the pressing bin and also do not crush the grapes in the bin.
- If the quality of your grapes is inferior due to unavoidable circumstances, deliver these grapes separately.
- Your interest in the cellar should go further than the delivery bin, it is after all your product.
- If an opportunity presents itself, your labourers will appreciate a tour through the cellar - the danger of scissors and stones amongst the grapes may then be pointed out to them, amongst other things.
Disease and pest control
- Only exercise control if the safety period of the pesticide allows for it.
- Do not forget about disease control of late ripening cultivars as well as young vines.
- Post-harvest sulphur is recommended where vines are seriously infested with erinose and oidium.
Irrigation
Pre-harvest
- Water consumption of vines is at its highest in February.
- Attempt to schedule for decreasing ground water, but at no stage should the vines experience a water shortage during the ripening phase.
- Vines should therefore have sufficient water supply during the ripening stage to ensure even and ideal ripening.
- Overabundant water supply, as well as water shortages, is detrimental to the quality of the grape in the ripening period.
Post-harvest
- If water is available, the soil profile should be supplemented with the post-harvest irrigation to the full extent of its root depth.
- Although the vine's water requirements are still high in the post-harvest period, care should be taken not to over-irrigate, as the subsequent drowning limits the important post-harvest root growth cycle.
Fertilisation
- Post-harvest fertilisation is important only in vineyards with normal or poor vigour.
- Where water is limited, the necessary fertilisation should be applied before the post-harvest irrigation.
- In intensive irrigation areas, first wait ± three to four weeks after the harvest before applying post-harvest fertilisation.
- Fertilisation is no longer recommended for vines of three years or younger showing vigorous growth.
Foliage management
- Active vegetative growth during ripening is detrimental to grape quality.
- In late cultivars, top shoots that are still growing actively.
- Judicious moisture stress can limit active shoot growth.
Development of young vines
- Persist with cane development if time is available.
- Vines grafted in November still require careful after-care.
Pruning of roots
- May be done to alleviate soil compaction and then only after the harvest, in alternative rows before fertilising and irrigating.
Financial
- If you intend to establish new vineyards, you may contact one of the agri-economists for a breakdown of the costs of individual items and a breakeven analysis to evaluate the profitability of various establishment options.
- If your financial year ends in February and you suspect your tax burden is going to be heavy, invest in productive capital for example poles, irrigation equipment or fertiliser and not vehicles or implements.
- Finalise the record-keeping of the previous month's financial transactions and compare the actual expenditure with both the budgeted expenditure and the actual expenditure of the corresponding month of the previous year. If deviations occur, identify the reasons and take the necessary steps to rectify the situation and ensure that it does not occur again.
A more detailed version may be ordered from Gerda Kriel at (021) 807 3027.
VINPRO (SA) CONSULTATION SERVICE
The various viticulturists and agricultural economists may be contacted.
MANAGER
Francois Viljoen
Office (023) 626 3017
Cell (083) 309 7627
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMISTS
Little Karoo, Robertson, Worcester, Orange River
Johan Truter
Office (021) 807 3043
Cell (082) 806 0428
Stellenbosch, Paarl, Malmesbury, Olifants River
Paiter Botha
Office (021) 807 3302
Cell (082) 806 0429
VITICULTURISTS
| District |
Person |
Office |
Cell |
| Orange River |
Dirk Malan |
(054) 4612299 |
(082) 4957999 |
Olifants River
Malmesbury |
Nelius van Huyssteen |
(021) 8073303 |
(083) 4555198 |
| Paarl/ Wellington |
Bennie Liebenberg |
(021) 8073018 |
(083) 4555197 |
| Stellenbosch |
Johan Pienaar
Dricus vd Westhuizen
Cobus van Graan |
(021) 8870014 |
(083) 3097637
(083) 3097625
(082) 6504404 |
| Worcester |
Schalk du Toit
Pierre Snyman
Hanno van Schalkwyk
Willem Botha |
(023) 3472795 |
(083) 3030530
(083) 4555191
(083) 4555192 |
| Robertson |
Briaan Stipp
Hendrik Myburgh
Leon Dippenaar
Stephan Joubert |
(023) 6263017 |
(083) 4555196
(083) 4555195
(083) 4555194
(083) 6505590 |
| Little Karoo |
Stephan Joubert |
(023) 6263017 |
(083) 6505590 |
VINPRO CONSULTANT PROFILE: WILLEM BOTHA
Willem recently joined VinPro (SA) and works with the three other viticulturists of the Consultation Service based in Worcester.
He grew up in Middelburg in the Eastern Cape and matriculated at the local high school.
"The exposure to wine came from my dad's side. There was always wine on the table and from standard nine onwards I took a keen interest in wine," he remembers.
His first exposure to viticulture was at university. From then his interest never waned.
Willem graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a BSc Agric. in Viticulture and Oenology.
"I am interested in the mechanisation and management of vineyards, in particular issues such as mechanical pruning and the influence thereof on vines.
"I see a rosy future for the wine industry. In a few years' time, the South African wine industry will make its presence keenly felt on the national as well as the international arena. My biggest challenge will be to make a contribution so that we may reach that point and to leave my own mark on the industry."
His personal interests include watching sport, rugby in particular. "At varsity I played rugby for my residence, but had to stop temporarily because I did not have enough time. I gym from time to time, otherwise I just relax with friends."
DIARY DATES
10 - 11 January 2000
Robertson and Worcester Vineyard Block Competition judging
13 January 2000
Stellenbosch Vineyard Block Competition judging
19 January 2000
Swartland Vineyard Block Competition judging
20 January 2000
Stellenbosch and Worcester Vineyard Block Competition Farmers' Day
22 January 2000
Swartland and Robertson Vineyard Block Competition Farmers' Day
Compiled by: VinPro (SA) Consultation Service
Wynboer is incorporated in WineLand, magazine of the SA wine producers.
