Wineries in South Africa are battling to extinguish bushfires that have been raging from Stellenbosch to the Somerset West area over the last 10 days.

The fires have put properties including Lourensford and Vergelegen at risk. They passed through Vergelegen’s 3,000ha property on Sunday night, but no vineyards were damaged.

‘There’s no sign of smoke taint yet but it’s early days,’ said Tooth.

‘The real concern is for reds, as we are still 10 days away from picking.’

Neighbouring estate Lourensford has been hit by fire for the second time in two weeks. Arson is suspected in the latest fire. Production manager Barry Humby told Bloomberg.com fires had caused ‘major damage’.

Helicopters have attempted to contain the blaze. Vergelegen is being used as the fire service’s command and surveillance post, and 30 fire engines are currently stationed on the property.

Written by Rebecca Gibb

Rebecca Gibb MW
Rebecca Gibb MW
Decanter Magazine & DWWA Judge

Rebecca Gibb MW is a wine journalist and editor who has also founded Bamboozled games, ‘the world’s first wine and spirit puzzle makers’. Having spent six years living in New Zealand, she has recently returned to her native north-east England. While in New Zealand, she became a Master of Wine, graduating top of her class and winning the Madame Bollinger medal for excellence in tasting. A former winner of both the UK’s young wine writer of the year and the Louis Roederer Emerging Wine Writer, her first book The Wines of New Zealand was published in 2018. She also runs wine events and has her own consultancy business The Drinks Project. She was a judge at the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).