Insights from our team
on the ground
January 2023.
Home of Krone Vintage-only Cap Classique,
Twee Jonge Gezellen, Tulbagh.
“We’ve had a phenomenal harvest this year,” says marketing director Abigail Rands. “Not only has it been the earliest on record but it’s also been the best harvest we've ever done with the most superb quality of berries.”
We have been night harvesting our grapes since the early 1980s. This method allows us to preserve grape quality and the delicate aromas and flavours, which we capture in the cool of the night, before the heat of the day. Read more.
Rosa is the founder of the Old Vine Project and in 2022 was the Decanter Hall of Fame recipient, making her the first viticulturist and first South African to crack the nod in the 38-year history of the award.
“What a great harvest we had! The grapes were very clean – no disease or rot – as well as very good analysis for Cap Classique for both the varieties of chardonnay and pinot noir. We are seeing good yields too as the vines now reach maturity. The viticultural management through the year was done perfectly and as always, good pruning and good planning by the vineyard team paid off!”
“It seems as if 2023 harvest for Krone is a vintage for breaking past records! We started harvesting 5 January, which is the earliest yet. We finished the Night Harvest mid-January, which is over 95% of the farm’s grapes harvested. The analyses are incredible with great balance between the sugar and acid levels. The initial fermentations are showing promising base wines. Crop has been balanced, healthy and very clean!”
“Harvest came extremely early and the sugars were spot on. We picked with bigger teams to ensure all the grapes came in perfectly. The juice was super clear and we were blessed with amazing high acid levels and low pH levels. We started with chardonnay followed by pinot noir straight after. We are on average up with 2-4 tonnes per hectare and the vines look very healthy. It was extremely hot during the days but nice and cool during the nights when we harvested. We had some high humid days but that did not affect us in terms of our quality.”
“This is my 10th year on Twee Jonge Gezellen. I have an enormous love for the natural environment and people and the organic flow of all living things. It was a very dry year with sporadic rainfall. I have a very holistic outlook on farming so I take in account all the elements and influences. The grapes were phenomenal with high malic acid content that produces high quality juice. It was a very fast paced, high-energy harvest that coincided with a full moon so it was very special. Post harvest we will probably celebrate by popping some Krone with an old-fashioned snoek braai…”
“Every single person on the farm and in the cellar has contributed their own essential piece to an extremely successful harvest! We had the privilege to work with berries perfectly ripened with great acidity levels still retained in the fruit, providing us with a massive head start in producing premium Cap Classique. Inside the cellar, our winemaking journey has just begun, and we are enthusiastic to receive a new canvas for our team to create beautiful Vintage-only Cap Classiques from!
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