Viticulture & Winemaking

To meet the demands of world markets, Namaqua Wines has planted premium grape varietals, in particular red varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet and Cabernet Franc. These grapes are grown in a variety of soils. In an arid land where the annual rainfall is a scant 165mm, controlled micro-irrigation is used to coax the best from the vines.

The indulgent climate and rigorous viticultural practices, scrutinised by our own viticulturist and cellar master, keep pests and diseases at bay, thereby reducing the need for chemical treatment.

Viticultural practices match the right cultivars to appropriate soils and microclimates. More delicate varieties are planted near the coast to catch the cool afternoon breezes that hail from the icy South Atlantic. Canopy management techniques are implemented to protect the grapes from the fierce sun while achieving optimum ripeness.

Early morning harvesting in tandem with strict vineyard selection preserves freshness in the grapes. Despite an intake of 2 000 tons of grapes per day during the harvest, all corresponding lots are kept separate for cool fermentation in one of the southern hemisphere’s largest temperature-controlled cellars.

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