How can we help?
Oak Valley
Oak Valley
2025 HARVEST REPORT
From the Winemaker’s Desk
Reflecting on the 2025 harvest, we’re reminded again of the delicate balance between nature and vine, each season shaping the character of our wines in its own unique way. Like every season, 2025 brought a mix of favourable and testing conditions. With the luxury of assessing the wines in barrel, it’s clear 2025 will capture the elegance and fruit purity we strive for in our wines.
Winter in Mordor
The only way to describe the 2024 winter is wet, cold and miserable! Elgin felt a bit like Mordor, the realm of evil Lord Sauron. From June to end August 2024 we received 554mm compared to 387mm in 2023 and 305mm in 2022. The rain saturated our subsoil clays which in hindsight was much-needed given the dry summer that was to follow in 2025.
Most importantly, we experienced some of our coldest winter nights in recent memory. These frigid temperatures ensured our vineyards entered a deep and restorative dormancy, setting the stage for an even and consistent budburst in spring.
Spring Ying and Yang
Spring in Elgin is often unpredictable, but this season brought relatively dry conditions, a welcome change from the norm. With pleasant sunny days and little wind, our Chardonnay flourished, experiencing near-perfect flowering conditions and excellent fruit set.
Pinot Noir, however, faced a different fate. A brief cold snap in early November coincided with its flowering period, leading to a naturally reduced crop. This will undoubtedly shape the character of our Pinot Noir wines, concentrating flavors and enhancing structure. During the vegetative period from September to December, we recorded only 189mm rain compared to 462mm in 2023.
Summer Freshness
A striking feature of the 2025 growing season was the persistently cool temperatures. Unlike recent years, we had no significant heatwaves, and daily average temperatures remained the lowest since 2020. In January 2025 only 5 hours were recorded over 30°C compared to 33 hours in January 2024. The same was true for February 2025 with only 1 hour over 30°C while in February 2024 this was 31 hours.
The dry yet cool conditions led to an extended veraison period, meaning that ripening was slow and steady. As winemakers, we welcomed this cooler season —it allowed us to make precise decisions about canopy management, ensuring optimal exposure to sunlight while maintaining freshness in the fruit. Over the ripening period from January to March, we recorded 54mm in 2025 compared to 79mm in 2024, and 230mm in 2023.
Harvest
Harvest commenced on 4th February with our younger Chardonnay blocks. Most of our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was picked between the 13th-20th February. Chardonnay yields were up, showing excellent balance between acidity and flavor concentration. Our Pinot Noir, while yielding less than usual due to small berry and bunch sizes, promises a wine of remarkable intensity and structure.
Winemakers Notes
If there’s one word to describe the wines of 2025, it’s PURITY. The fruit we brought in showed exceptional natural acidity and low pH levels, laying the foundation for wines that are poised, vibrant, and expressive. It’s still early days in the cellar, but initial tastings reveal bright aromatics, a strong sense of place, and a clarity that we believe will define this vintage.
Jacques du Plessis
Viticulturist & Winemaker
