PVGIS – a solar photovoltaic calculator tool to optimise light harvesting in viticulture
Several web-tools, available from the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS) online service, are freely available for use in viticulture. The Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS ©European Communities, 2001 - 2017) was developed from solar...
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YAN survey of South African grape musts (Part 2) – the role of YAN supplementation
Due to the complexity of grape juice and yeast metabolism, it must be understood that a generalisation of the optimal concentration and composition of YAN cannot be made. Therefore, based on the trends currently observed in research, this article serves to present the...
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The global shipping of wine
Wine is a product that is consumed worldwide and, except for certain countries, also produced everywhere. Although the most wine is usually drunk in the country of production, consumer and industry demand exist to export wine to different countries. As a result of...
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Establishing the True Cost of the Roll
LEAFROLL IS AN OLD FOE. ECONOMIST PIETER VAN NIEKERK LOOKS AT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF VINEYARDS INFECTED BY #LEAFROLL. Many consumers unashamedly hashtagged our beautiful autumn vineyards, apparently unaware of the reality of virus infection. It’s like taking a selfie...
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Monitoring vine mealybug and its parasitoids
The aim of this study was to establish whether the yellow delta trap used for monitoring male mealybug numbers can also effectively be used to monitor mealybug parasitoids. Farmers use yellow delta traps (Figure 1a) to monitor male vine mealybugs (Planococcus ficus)...
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Lesser-known white wine cultivars (Part 2)
This article is a follow-up on the articles regarding lesser-known red wine grape cultivars that were published (Van Schalkwyk & Schmidt, 2016a & 2016b). According to Sawis statistics (2016), 106 wine grape cultivars are planted in South Africa. Chenin blanc,...
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The future of natural cork as bottle closure
The natural characteristics of the bark of the cork oak, Quercus suber, for example its elasticity and neutrality, make it eminently suitable as raw material for bottle closures. The romantics, associated with the sound when a cork is pulled also contribute to the...
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YAN survey of South African grape musts (Part 1)
YAN surveys carried out in different regions of the world have frequently reported that a large percentage of the sampled musts are nitrogen-deficient and thus, YAN is the grape-must factor most often suspected as the cause for problematic fermentations. Therefore,...
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Confronting Climate Change – understanding and addressing your hotspots
To effectively realise and respond to the opportunities and challenges posed by climate change, the Confronting Climate Change (CCC) Project was started in 2009 as a strategic cross-industry initiative aimed at supporting the South African fruit and wine sectors’...
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How can wine grape producers extract maximum value from the services of a technical viticulture consultant?
A study that investigates the relevance and value add contribution of viticulture consulting services towards the South African wine industry was conducted over a two year period. This article highlights the main findings on how wine grape producers can extract...
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A toast to fine oak
The use of wood is an integral part of winemaking, but the implications of using this natural material extend beyond the cellar. By Bernard Mocke The commercialisation of oak barrels started when the Roman armies and traders of old replaced clay amphorae with oak...
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Guidelines for making compost using winery solid wastes
This article gives guidelines that can be used by wineries or composting plants to make compost using wine filter wastes, together with grape and vineyard materials. The guidelines are based on results from scientific field composting trials that were conducted over a...
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The rental of barrel space
For a long time wood has not been the only material used for barrels, but it has become an integral part of winemaking. The role of wood changed from a container material to a complementary contributor to the flavour and taste of wine. Different types of wood, the...
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Something wicked (smelling) this way comes …
An alternative strategy for winemaking from smoke-affected grapes. Please excuse the poetic licence used in Mr Shakespeare’s quote above, but the point needs to be made strongly. If smoke-affected wine is bottled as soon as possible and marketed for early release,...
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Can young vines be protected against leafroll infection by applying systemic insecticides in the nursery?
There is a great need in the South African vineyard industry for a control strategy to minimise the spread of leafroll, especially in newly planted vineyards. Previous research by Prof Gerhard Pietersen has shown that the life span of a vineyard can be greatly...
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Thiol levels in dry South African Chenin blanc wines (Part 2)
In this study, 65 commercial dry South African Chenin blanc wines were analysed for their thiol concentrations. Trend exploration The analysis of the 65 commercially-available dry South African Chenin blanc wines yielded important information regarding the thiol...
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Leafroll control strategy – an integrated approach
What causes leafroll virus? [Fact sheet 1.1]* • Leafroll virus is caused by leafroll associated virus -3 (GLRaV-3). Other types of leafroll associated viruses exist, but are seldom found in South Africa. [* This number indicates which number IGWS fact sheet can be...
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Crop control can reduce quality
A respectable grapevine yield, in combination with optimally ripe, quality fruit, is of paramount importance towards the goal of sustainable grape farming. Crop thinning is applied widely in the industry, due to a belief that a lower crop load will always lead to...
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