This year, the harvest didn’t quite follow the script—and, dare we say, it may just have been the greatest gift we could have received!
After a cold and wet winter, October arrived with a subtle whisper of early spring. Yet nature, always the master of her own timing, quickly shifted course. November turned colder than October—a rarity for us—stalling the first signs of ripening and slowing the vines. By January, we were two to three weeks behind.
Then, almost imperceptibly, veraison began. The Pinot Noir shifted from green to a deep, promising purple—quiet, steady, certain. Bird nets were pulled into place just in time, and the vineyard slipped into its next act. Colours deepened like watercolours blooming on wet paper, unfolding slowly beneath warm skies. The air thickened with anticipation. Bees danced through flowering fynbos, gathering pollen for our handcrafted honey, while Mufasa the rooster kept watch over the rows. The vines, the cellar, the people—everything was in motion.
February brought back the glorious sun. Long, golden days stretched across the valley, and with barely a brush of rain, everything ripened at once. Harvest began in earnest, with early picks of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay—clusters hand-selected to preserve their bright, natural acidity. The Hasher children pulled on their wellies, joining the rhythm of the days, helping after school, and crafting barrels of their own. A playful, wholehearted nod to legacy in the making.
The first official harvest followed soon after, and with it, the cellar stirred to life. A quiet, personal moment emerged mid-season: young Ernest, shoulder to shoulder with his father, sorting grapes from his brother Emile’s vineyard block—the fruit destined for the Ernest Pinot Noir. Even as the pace quickened, the team moved with quiet precision. LeRoux, our intern, hand-pressed Cabernet Franc, carefully checking Brix levels with the kind of care that can’t be taught. Gaia, visiting from Italy, took charge of the pump-overs—working the tanks with steady hands, drawing out colour, flavour, and feeling. Each day brought something new: a blend of science, instinct, and devotion.
By early March, the cellar felt almost alchemical. Chardonnay fermented slowly in oak, its perfume subtle but certain. Pinot Noir shimmered beneath dry ice, a soft mist curling over the tanks like morning fog over the vines.
And just like that, the last grapes came home. The final pick rolled in on March 7, closing the curtain on harvest. Days later, we gathered in the courtyard for our Grand Finale Paella—Frederik’s great-grand-aunt’s Spanish recipe, served steaming and generous, shared by a team that had given their everything.
In the stillness that followed, we paused. Pinot Noir’s journey from vine to barrel had been swift—fragrant, textured, and full of heart. Yields were slightly down, but the reward lay in the detail: smaller berries, deeper concentration, and a cellar now humming with quiet potential. The Sauvignon Blanc began its transformation in concrete eggs, their curved shape encouraging delicate lees contact, developing texture and complexity.
This was our second harvest with the full team in place: Wentzel in the vineyard, Natasha leading in the cellar, and Hanerie—quietly constant, bringing it all together. Music played daily, each team member choosing the soundtrack in turn. A harmony of people and place. As Natasha puts it, “With every vineyard block named for a family member and every team member contributing their unique character, our wines truly become a living reflection of everyone who touches them.”
We marked the end of harvest the Hasher way, at our Family & Fine Wine Feast on April 5. Guests wandered through the vineyard. Children foraged, played, and peeked into the cellar where barrel tastings of the fermenting 2025 vintage awaited. Chef Rickey Broekhoven of Onshore Eatery led the outdoor braai with soul, while long tables were laid with wild blooms picked that morning. A sensory celebration of season, soil, and the hands that brought it all to life.
The 2025 harvest has certainly left its mark, not only in barrel but in the bond of the team who brought it to life.
Below our average temperatures and rainfall for the growing season ’24-’25
