19 Mar 2015 And you thought winemaking was a leisurely life

This is the story of a harvest that begins more than two weeks earlier than usual. According to Nederburg, many of the Cape’s winemakers have gone on record to say it’s their earliest in nearly two decades. A lot are also calling it one of their finest harvests ever.

Here’s the PR story on this interesting marketing initiative:

“Certainly, the viticultural and winemaking teams at Nederburg are thrilled with the  beautiful grapes coming in, but with a third of crop picked within the first fortnight, there’s pressure on everyone. They are working against the clock and turning themselves inside out to keep pace.

“Watch what happens when a press isn’t working and see how they cope with other setbacks. The personal dynamics are fascinating. Some remain calm, others less so.  One winemaker thinks on her feet, another reflects quietly before making a move.

“Depicting the everyday realities of the harvest and the juggling required to outwit nature, the series shows the unexpected, the tears, the tension, the technology and the laughter.”

Says Lynette Lambrechts, Nederburg’s global marketing manager, who commissioned the harvest 2015 clips: “This is not an account of how wine is made.  It’s a glimpse into the lives of our viticulturists and winemakers, and just what it takes for them to get that amazingly delicious wine into your glass at the dinner table – something we often take for granted.”

Each clip is about 2 to 3 minutes long. Starting from 26 March, they will be shown on Nederburg’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/NederburgWine, at weekly intervals with new episodes released every Thursday until the end of April.