Harvest at Van Loveren: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Grape Picking

As winter gradually fades in Germany – at least in terms of temperature – it remains warm here at the Cape. In particularly warm regions such as Robertson, the harvest for early ripening varietals and sparkling wine grapes is already underway. Other areas like the Hemel en Aarde Valley still have to wait.

After more than 20 years of collaboration, we finally set out to witness the harvest live at our largest partner, Van Loveren.

Recently, the estate made headlines with two acquisitions. The Retief cousins took over the nearby Overhex winery, well-known for the "Survivor" brand. Just a few weeks ago, they acquired 51% of shares from Neil Ellis, one of the top wineries in Stellenbosch.

Our visit to Robertson became a lasting experience with good friends and fascinating insights into modern winemaking.

The vineyards of Van Loveren now span vast areas of Robertson. Reading all these fields at the optimal time is a tremendous logistical challenge – hand-picking is no longer feasible.

This requires harvesters, and we were eager to see.

When we arrived at half past seven, Bussel Retief was already waiting for us. The process begins in the vineyard. That morning, Irsai Oliver, a Hungarian varietal that is part of the sweet Four Cousins Natural Sweet wines, was harvested.

This varietal is also grown in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria – and here in Robertson. The wines are fruit-driven, aromatic, and reminiscent of Muscat, but less sweet.

Two massive harvesters were ready in the vineyard. Once atop the machine, you realize the scale of the area – and understand why two of these machines are necessary.

Then it began. We were impressed by the speed and gentleness with which the grapes were shaken off the vines without being crushed.

Behind us, we saw nearly intact grapes. The grapes were largely destemmed, passed along conveyor belts, and collected in integrated tanks.

Within minutes, a row of vines was harvested. The machine turned around – and it continued.

As we descended, tractors with trailers positioned themselves behind the harvesters. In less than a minute, they emptied their tanks. The freshly picked grapes were immediately on their way to the cellar.

The processes interlocked like clockwork. Oxidation – the biggest concern for many winemakers – barely had a chance.

From the tractor, it goes directly into the auger, through the press, and into the fermentation tank. No more than 45 minutes after harvest, the finished juice flows into the fermentation tank.

For someone who spends hours fine-tuning a newsletter, this is optimization at the highest level.

After this impressive experience, we transitioned to the relaxing part of the day. Anne Marie, Bussel's wife, had prepared a wonderful breakfast.

The highlight: fresh Mosbolletjies.

This traditional winemaker's specialty is only baked during the harvest season. Instead of water, freshly fermented grape must is used in the dough. This gives the pastry its distinctive flavor.

The freshly baked Mosbolletjies are a true piece of South African wine culture – and a privilege for family, employees, and selected guests.

You can find Mosbolletjies in various qualities on sale. You can also bake them yourself with flour, butter, milk, must, eggs, and anise seeds.

When we asked Bussel if he was needed in the cellar, he chuckled, saying he had gone wrong if he still had to be hands-on at this scale of operation.

Although he starts every morning at 2:30 AM at the business, he now relies on a strong team.

During the main harvest season, up to eight harvesters are in operation daily – five owned and others rented with drivers.

Early ripening white wines are harvested between 2:00 AM and about 11:00 AM. After that, it gets too hot. Top wines from the Christiena range are still harvested by hand – with headlamps.

Later ripening red varieties are picked at cooler temperatures, and thus, the times shift accordingly.

Modern harvesters don’t need to stop anymore. Tractors run right alongside and take over the harvested fruit on the go. Time is money.

The expected harvest volume is around 27,000 tons from approximately 1,500 hectares of vineyard – dimensions that are hard to imagine for an office worker.

Thanks to the latest technology, the time between harvest and pressing is sometimes reduced to less than 15 minutes. Only the distance from the vineyard to the cellar is crucial.

Our enthusiasm for this exceptional family business remains unbroken.

Harvesters do not hinder quality – on the contrary. They enable excellent wines at fair prices while ensuring efficiency at the highest level.