The South African wine industry is currently navigating a critical “crossroad,” defined by a complex mix of declining hectares and rising production performance. At the Vinpro Nedbank Producer Day 2026, held on 22 January at ATKV Goudini Spa, industry leaders presented a strategic roadmap focused on the theme: “Grow Smarter: Harnessing Technology for the Wine Producer.” The day was designed to move producers from high-level global risks to practical, farm-level technological solutions cantered on the minimization of waste and a radical pivot toward the consumer.
Setting the Stage: Conrad Schutte and the 2026 Harvest
Conrad Schutte, Vinpro’s Managing Director, opened the day by grounding the conversation in the immediate reality of the 2026 harvest. He noted that the season approached faster than many expected, with roughly 4% to 5% of the grapes (over 26,000 tonnes) already safely in cellars. Schutte characterized the current climate as standing in the “eye of a storm,” marked by volatility and extreme weather, including recent wildfires and heat-induced sunburn on grapes.
To help producers mitigate these risks, he highlighted that Vinpro members now receive weekly weather forecasts to assist in proactive vineyard management. He also shared successes in virus elimination for table grape cultivars, which has directly led to improved production, better colour, and significantly increased net home income.
Economic Crossroads: Daneel Roussouw and Strategic Investment
Representing the financial backbone of the industry, Daneel Roussouw of Nedbank acknowledged that despite the decline in vineyard hectares, there remains a “positive sentiment” following a strong 2025 performance. Roussouw argued that the industry’s success depends on “strategic investment”—not just in land, but in new technologies and skills to maintain South Africa’s global competitiveness.
The Global Mirror: California’s Hard Lessons
International keynote Dr. Luca Brillante from California State University provided a sobering “mirror” for South African growers. California has seen a 7.5% decrease in vineyards since 2018 due to oversupply and environmental pressures. Brillante emphasized that technology must be a “hammer on the nail” to help growers stay afloat. He demonstrated how machine vision is being developed to detect biological threats, such as the Red Blotch virus, before they are visible to the human eye.
The Consumer Gap: Addressing the Drop in Usage
A standout theme was the urgent need for producers to look beyond the vineyard gate and focus on consumer behaviour. Dr. Jan Greyling issued a provocative wake-up call regarding the global shift in wine consumption. He noted that wine is currently the only major alcohol group globally that is not seeing growth, emphasizing that producers must focus on the market much more than they currently do.
Greyling pointed out that successful agricultural sectors, like the citrus industry, allocate 85% of their research budget to market intelligence, whereas the wine industry remains heavily production-focused. For wine producers, “Growing Smarter” means using digital tools to bridge the gap between the cellar and a global consumer base that is drinking less, but more selectively.
The ZZ2 Blueprint: Minimizing Waste through Transformation
Martin Jansen, CIO of the diversified farming giant ZZ2, provided an exceptional operational philosophy. For Jansen, digital transformation is about the minimization of all forms of waste—including waste of overproduction, movement, and effort.
Jansen argued that data should bring a business as close as possible to a “one-to-one supply and demand” relationship. He offered a practical “de-risking” strategy:
Foundations First: Secure the basics like internet, firewalls, and backups to de-escalate risk for very little money.
Focus on the “Why”: Avoid adopting technology for its own sake; every tool must improve a specific business process.
Actionable Results: Move into high-value applications like irrigation automation, where data translates into saved electricity and optimized nutrients.
The 2026 Harvest: Resilience in the Face of Extremes
The day concluded with Dr. Etienne Terblanche providing a detailed technical overview of the 2026 season. While post-harvest 2025 saw an “excellent” reserve buildup, the current season has been marked by gale-force winds and wildfires in the Paarl, Wellington and Franschhoek regions.
Terblanche noted that abnormally high winds in early January increased grapevine water demand by 20-30%, potentially leading to smaller berry sizes. He also addressed the threat of “smoke taint” from the wildfires, urging producers to perform “bucket ferments” to assess risks. Despite these challenges, he urged producers to “control the controllables” and remain optimistic for a “warm and proper month” of harvest.
The Power of Networking
The value of the Vinpro Nedbank Producer Day extended beyond the stage. As Conrad Schutte noted in his opening, networking with experts and fellow conference-goers often makes a significant impact, as it allows for one-on-one conversations where specific questions can be asked and practical solutions shared. By mastering digital foundations, focusing on the vineyard “controllables,” and using data to truly understand the consumer, South African wine producers are better equipped than ever to ensure long-term sustainability.