The wild and wet rollercoaster of Harvest 2023 has finally come to an end!
Beginning on January 23 and concluding on March 28, this year’s harvest required three months of unwavering attentiveness and constant hope for better weather
The 2023 vintage was a test of our resilience as it was heavily influenced by rain and a cooler climate. While water is vital to the farming of grapes – it can also throw a big spanner in the works. This harvest was unlike any other we have experienced in our 19 years of winemaking, but are proud to say… “we think we rose to the challenge”.
The untimely rain – 200mm in March alone – not only delayed the picking process but also increased the incidence of rot, presenting winemakers with a conundrum. We had to choose between harvesting grapes at lower sugar levels to prevent further damage or waiting out the rain. This was a risky gamble. Despite the challenges, we managed to produce a vintage that exceeded our expectations, with unique flavours and aromas that reflect the weather patterns.
As this rollercoaster ride comes to a close, we express our gratitude to our dedicated team who worked tirelessly to make this vintage possible. We would also like to thank our customers for their unyielding support and appreciation of our wines.
Our Rosé keeps rising to the occasion and was awarded Gold at the National Rose Wine & Spirit Challenge of 2022.
There was some more exciting news this week. The Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Lewis-Hill, introduced his favourite choice of two wines per estate, selected from various renowned wine cellars in Constantia, Durbanville, as well as Hout Bay Vineyards & Cape Point Vineyards, to represent The Mayor’s Choice wines. These will be presented to esteemed foreign dignitaries and other guests, at official functions.
We are thrilled to be included in this acclaimed list of Cape wineries, recognised for their exceptional quality. Our Black Swan Port was selected, along with the Rosé and Petrus wines, making Hout Bay Vineyards the only winery to have three wines as part of the line up.
Jan van Riebeeck noted in his diary in 1659, “Today, wine was made for the first time from Cape grapes.” That was some 364 years ago.
To celebrate, we would like to invite you to join us on the 27th & 28th of May 2023 to taste the fruits of our years of labour. Hout Bay Vineyards will be open for wine tasting and sales from 12h00 to 17h00.
We will have our usual delicious food on offer and, of course, all of Hout Bay Vineyards wine… just not the MCC – SORRY – we promise it will be ready at the end of the year in time for all your festive celebrations.
As always, it is a happy occasion and everyone is welcome, so please bring your friends and family along but we kindly ask you to leave your animals at home.
We look forward to seeing you!
Cathy & Peter
We will be selling our wines at special cellar-door prices which means a 15% saving for you as this price will be including VAT.
Wines available will be:
BLUSH 2022
SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022
ROSE 2022
MERLOT 2020
SHIRAZ 2020
PETRUS 2018
PETRUS 2013
PETER & PAUL 2012
BLACK SWAN PORT 2013
* Accepted methods of payment are cash, credit card and SnapScan.
