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South Africa. Growing season October–April, harvest usually February–March. 26 vintages of weather, 2000–2025.
Photo: Matthias Bethke, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Over the 30 growing seasons from 1991 to 2020, Stellenbosch's vines saw on average 2,160 growing degree days between October and April. That puts it in Winkler region IV, close in heat and rain to Priorat, Mendoza (Luján de Cuyo) and Languedoc. In a typical year about 218 mm of rain falls in the growing season, 42 mm of it in February–March.
Since 2000 the warmest season was 2000 (+8% against normal) and the coolest 2004 (-3%). The wettest harvest window was 2023, with 91 mm against a normal 42 mm.
The last 10 vintages (2016–2025) averaged +2% against the 1991–2020 normal, compared with +1% for 2000–2009; 3 of those 10 seasons were warmer than normal by more than 3%.
Growing degree days (base 10°C) for each season. The dashed line is the 1991–2020 normal (2,160 GDD) and the shaded band one standard deviation either side: about two years in three fall inside it.
Full bar: rain over the whole growing season. Dark part: rain in the harvest window (February–March). The line is the normal season total, 218 mm.
Oct 2024–Apr 2025
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 8 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2023–Apr 2024
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 2 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2022–Apr 2023
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 24 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2021–Apr 2022
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 19 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2020–Apr 2021
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 23 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2019–Apr 2020
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 13 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2018–Apr 2019
Near normal
Hot months: Oct +3.2°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 10 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2017–Apr 2018
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 20 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2016–Apr 2017
Warmer
Hot months: Apr +2.7°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 5 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2015–Apr 2016
Warmer
Hot months: Jan +3.1°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 4 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2014–Apr 2015
Warmer
Hot months: Oct +2.1°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 6 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2013–Apr 2014
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 7 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2012–Apr 2013
Near normal
Hot months: Dec +2.3°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 11 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2011–Apr 2012
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 22 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2010–Apr 2011
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 9 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2009–Apr 2010
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 18 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2008–Apr 2009
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 12 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2007–Apr 2008
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 15 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2006–Apr 2007
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 21 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2005–Apr 2006
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 25 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2004–Apr 2005
Warmer
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 3 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
Oct 2003–Apr 2004
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 26 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2002–Apr 2003
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 16 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2001–Apr 2002
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 14 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 2000–Apr 2001
Near normal
No month ran 2°C above its normal high
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 17 of 26 for heat · Winkler IV
Oct 1999–Apr 2000
Much warmer
Hot months: Dec +3.2°
Bars: mean daily high each month (red = 2°C or more above normal, blue = that much below). Line: the 1991–2020 normal.
Rank 1 of 26 for heat · Winkler V
| Vintage | GDD | vs normal | Season rain | Harvest rain | Hottest month (mean high) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,230 | +3% | 132 mm | 19 mm | February 28.8°C |
| 2024 | 2,300 | +6% | 106 mm | 44 mm | January 30.3°C |
| 2023 | 2,120 | -2% | 238 mm | 91 mm | January 28.7°C |
| 2022 | 2,150 | -1% | 225 mm | 36 mm | January 30.3°C |
| 2021 | 2,130 | -2% | 196 mm | 72 mm | January 29.1°C |
| 2020 | 2,190 | +1% | 210 mm | 11 mm | February 30.2°C |
| 2019 | 2,220 | +3% | 163 mm | 50 mm | February 29.7°C |
| 2018 | 2,140 | -1% | 239 mm | 40 mm | January 29.7°C |
| 2017 | 2,280 | +5% | 118 mm | 18 mm | February 29.7°C |
| 2016 | 2,290 | +6% | 218 mm | 63 mm | January 31.8°C |
| 2015 | 2,240 | +3% | 129 mm | 21 mm | January 29.3°C |
| 2014 | 2,230 | +3% | 295 mm | 60 mm | February 29.4°C |
| 2013 | 2,200 | +2% | 240 mm | 71 mm | December 29.4°C |
| 2012 | 2,130 | -1% | 268 mm | 47 mm | January 30.1°C |
| 2011 | 2,220 | +3% | 212 mm | 42 mm | February 29.9°C |
| 2010 | 2,150 | -1% | 246 mm | 48 mm | January 28.5°C |
| 2009 | 2,190 | +1% | 150 mm | 22 mm | February 29.0°C |
| 2008 | 2,170 | +0% | 249 mm | 73 mm | January 28.5°C |
| 2007 | 2,130 | -1% | 250 mm | 68 mm | January 29.3°C |
| 2006 | 2,120 | -2% | 146 mm | 30 mm | February 29.0°C |
| 2005 | 2,290 | +6% | 321 mm | 31 mm | February 28.7°C |
| 2004 | 2,100 | -3% | 236 mm | 24 mm | January 28.9°C |
| 2003 | 2,170 | +0% | 202 mm | 68 mm | February 28.7°C |
| 2002 | 2,190 | +1% | 314 mm | 44 mm | February 29.2°C |
| 2001 | 2,160 | -0% | 172 mm | 25 mm | February 29.2°C |
| 2000 | 2,340 | +8% | 116 mm | 29 mm | December 30.3°C |
| 1991–2020 | 2,160 | ±5% (1 SD) | 218 mm | 42 mm |
The closest matches on this site by normal heat and season rain. Similar weather is one ingredient; soils, slopes and grapes differ.
