Project Number
WW 13-13
Project title
Quantification of the effects of geology, soil and climate on wine style and or quality in Helderberg
Project leader
Shange, P
Team members
Louw, P J E
Laker, M S
Bonnardot, V M F
Carey, V A
Saayman, D
Olivier, P
Van Huyssteen, I
Schmidt, A
Baron, F
Project description
It has been shown that wines with largely divergent styles can be obtained from different soil forms, even where other important parameters (climate, aspect, altitude, etc.) do not differ. However, regarding the effect of different geological mother materials on wine style, little scientific information is currently available in South Africa. The fundamental issue to be addressed in this project is the question whether or not wine quality will differ between shale-derived soils and granite-derived soils. This aspect is of special significance for the Helderberg area, where mother material may change from granite to shale over a short distance. Wines of high quality are already produced in this area, but little scientific information, regarding the extent up to which wine quality is affected by interactions between climate, geology and soil form, is available. The ultimate aim of this project is to create more reliable guidelines for the establishment of specific cultivars at specific terroirs, resulting in the potential of the area being optimally utilised.
Poster(s)
Howell, C L and Conradie, W J. 2006. The effect of soil form, geology and climate on grapevine performance in the Helderberg. Poster presented at the 29th National Congress of the Society for Viticulture and Enology Congress. 14-17 November, Somerset West, South Africa.
Shange, P L and Conradie, W J. 2008. Quantification of the effects of soil structure, geology and climate on wine quality in the Helderberg area (South Western Cape, South Africa). Poster presented at the 2nd International Congress on Mountain and Steep Slope Viticulture. 15 March, Monforte de Lemos, Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain.
Shange, P L and Conradie, W J. 2008. Quantification of the effects of soil form, geology and climate on wine quality in the Helderberg area (South Western Cape, South Africa). Poster presented at the 31st National Congress of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture. 11-14 November, Somerset West, South Africa.
Presentation(s)
Shange, P, Fey, M V, Conradie, W J and Raath, P. 2008. Potassium status in geologically different vineyards at the Helderberg area. Paper presented at the Combined Congress. 21-24 January, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
Shange, P, Fey, M V, Conradie, W J and Raath, P. 2008. Potassium status in geologically different vineyards at the Helderberg area. Paper presented at the 31st National Congress of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture. 11-14 November, Somerset West, South Africa.