South African Wine Production to Fall 8%, Business Day Says

    Bloomberg -- South Africa’s wine harvest will drop 8 percent after a heat wave shortened the picking season by a month, Business Day said, citing Distell Group Ltd..

    Distell, which buys grapes from various wine-growing regions across the Western Cape province, paid about 10 percent more for grapes this year, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said.

    Before the heat wave hit, cooler than usual spring and early summer temperatures had slowed the ripening of the grapes and benefited the flavors, Business Day reported, adding that Distell believed the quality of this year’s harvest would be “outstanding.”