Hartenberg 2012 Harvest Update, by Carl Schultz

We are still in the early days of the 2012 vintage, but already 3 things are standing out:

-The phenolic maturity on both the whites and red with lower analytical ripeness.

-Very good natural acidity and elevated of flavoursome malic acid.

-A later vintage, about 2 weeks later than expected. This increased "hang time" helps grapes to attain optimal grape maturity.

So far we have harvested Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc and recently started on the Chardonnay and Merlot blocks.

Harvesting is taking place under the watchful eye of estate viticulturist, Wilhelm Joubert. With the cooler morning temperatures of late as autumn approaches we have been able to harvest longer in the mornings. The heat wave experienced a few weeks ago has luckily dissipated giving grapes more time to ripen slowly.

In the cellar we have many friends from all over the world helping create our new 2012 wines. As the saying goes, many hands make light work! It is rewarding to be able to give our sales teams and aspiring winemakers the opportunity to see first-hand how Hartenberg wines are made.

Tammy Jeftha, in her third and final year as Cape Winemakers Guild Protegee, is also working in the cellar. Tammy spent last harvest at Villiera and is excited to learn more especially about Shiraz this year. Look out for this talented winemaker in the making!

Regards

Carl Schultz and the Team