The timing of our 2022 harvest was similar to 2021 but a touch later than average. Ripening was slow and extended, and the harvest was fortunately complete before the first rains in early March. The preceding winter was our wettest in 24 years. The skies absolutely opened up from early May, filling soil reservoirs and dams, making sunbathers giddy, and satisfying the vineyards’ extreme thirst. Then, come September, we winemakers shifted from a rain dance to a winegrowing dance, and, miraculously, all precipitation stopped, allowing for a perfect, healthy, and even bud break. The summer weather was glorious. The vintage proceeded smoothly and delivered opulent, pure, generously textured wines. In short, the 2022 vintage shows (for the first time) quality along with quantity - yields were appreciably up from 2021’s extremely low yields.
Storm Vrede Pinot Noir 2022
Vrede Pinot Noir hails from a steep, northeast-facing slope in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale soil.
Maiden Vintage 2012
Vineyard Planted 2008
Clones 70 % 115, 23% 777, 7% 113
Size 4,61 ha
Elevation 125 m ASL
97 points, Tim Atkin MW
4.5* stars Platter's Guide
Storm Ignis Pinot Noir 2022
Ignis Pinot Noir hails from a northern slope in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Organically farmed, the vineyard is cluttered with round pebbles on the soil surface with underlying decomposed granite. Latin for “fire”, ignis refers to the fact that granite is an igneous rock formation – “from fire to stone”.
Maiden Vintage 2012
Vineyard Planted 2008
Clones 40% 115, 20% 113, 20% 667, 20% 777
Size 2,4 ha
Elevation 220 m ASL
96 points, Tim Atkin MW
5 stars Platter's Guide
Storm Ridge Pinot Noir 2022
Ridge Pinot Noir hails from a cool, eastern slope in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge with low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale soil.
Maiden Vintage 2015
Vineyard Planted 2009
Clones 60% 115, 30% 113, 10% 777
Size 1,2 ha
Elevation 330 m ASL
96 Points, Tim Atkin MW
4.5* stars Platter's Guide
The 2023 Chardonnay harvest was in line with 2021 and 2022 and our long-term average. Due to uneven bud-break (a result of fewer winter cold units), the Vrede 2023 vintage was again extremely low-yielding. We were lucky to have harvested before the rains. The 2023 Chardonnay vineyards produced vibrant, energetic but textured wines with wonderful natural acidity. The palate is full and round, a favorite vintage for sure!
Storm Vrede Chardonnay 2023
Vrede Chardonnay – or Peace Chardonnay – hails from a northeast-facing slope in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale soil.
Maiden Vintage 2015
Vineyard Planted 2006
Clones CY95
Size 1,46 ha
Elevation 125 m ASL
Storm Ridge Chardonnay 2023
Ridge Chardonnay hails from a cool, eastern slope on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge with low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale soil.
Maiden Vintage 2019
Vineyard Planted 2009
Clones 80% CY95, 20% CY96
Size 1,1 ha
Elevation 330 m ASL