With cooling factors from both elevation and ocean breezes, as well as a variety of slopes, aspects and soil types, the Warwick vineyards are a mix of classic Bordeaux cultivars, with a touch of South African stalwarts like Pinotage and old vine Chenin Blanc.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted cultivar, accounting for a quarter of the land under vine. Sauvignon Blanc is a close second, with our prized Cabernet Franc coming third. We have nine cultivars in total, with red cultivars accounting for two thirds of the land under vine.

In this vein, each cultivar is matched to particular soil types. Vigorous vines like Merlot or Pinotage (that have the potential to produce too much fruit) are often paired with poorer soils, like gravel or loamy clay. These soils allow the vines to struggle a little. The result of this is a smaller berry size with a higher concentration, which makes a better wine!

Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, in contrast, need to be treated a little more generously. They handle stress worse than a poodle in a python park. So we take care to plant them in slightly richer clay soils.

As for our Cabernet Sauvignon…he’s a slippery customer. He needs plenty of sun to ripen properly, but he can also get bushier than a bramble patch in a Brahmen paddock. We need to give him plenty of sun, but also employ diligent canopy management to keep those leaves in check. A sort of tough love, if you will.

Warwick wine estate – a historical family vineyard