Wine consumers were expected to bear the brunt of a white wine shortage, the chairperson of Wine Cellars South Africa (WCSA) said on Friday.
”Due to the exhaustive drought experienced last year, the crop was 11% down on that of 2004, resulting in a colossal shortage of white wine for the domestic and export markets,” Henk Bruwer said in a media statement.
Bruwer said the current estimate for this season’s harvest was only five percent higher than last year, which indicated that the shortage of white wines would continue and even increase.
”There is simply not enough chenin blanc and sauvignon available for the industry’s local and international client base, especially regarding the bulk category,” Bruwer said, adding that South African wine companies would continue to import ”cheap bulk wine” from countries such as Argentina.
While noting the frequent power cuts in the Western Cape, Bruwer said nature was to blame for placing pressure on the wine industry.
”Just before and at the beginning of this year’s harvest period, strong south easterly winds plagued the winelands. A further shortage of rain during this period caused the initial crop expectations, which predicted a much larger crop for last year, to drop.”
Bruwer said the wine quality was excellent, but a white wine drought would be a feature of the 2006 vintage.
He said prices increases were on the cards.
Although supplies of red wine at wine cellars are adequate, there was a shortage of pinotage, the results of which will also be felt by consumers and wine companies.
”While we have a white wine desert, the red wine lake is at a healthy level,” Bruwer said.
International forecasts suggested that a shortage of red wines would be felt within the next three to four years. – Sapa