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The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.

Growing season conditions are crucial in determining the quality of grapes in a vineyard. Identifying the climate variables with the greatest effect is therefore of interest to viticulturists and winemakers. Continued warming is evident for Stellenbosch since 2001, especially the last ten years. Thi...

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Main Author: Everts, Charl Jan
Other Authors: Conradie, Beatrice
Format: Thesis
Language:English
English
Published: School of Economics 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author Everts, Charl Jan
author2 Conradie, Beatrice
author_browse Conradie, Beatrice
Everts, Charl Jan
author_facet Conradie, Beatrice
Everts, Charl Jan
author_sort Everts, Charl Jan
collection Thesis
description Growing season conditions are crucial in determining the quality of grapes in a vineyard. Identifying the climate variables with the greatest effect is therefore of interest to viticulturists and winemakers. Continued warming is evident for Stellenbosch since 2001, especially the last ten years. This study models the effect of temperature and rainfall variables on wine quality, represented by wine ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux-style red wines. Findings indicate that, in terms of the relationship between weather and wine quality, Stellenbosch aligns more closely with Australia than Bordeaux. Growing season temperatures and harvest rainfall play a significant role in determining the outcome of a vintage. An optimal growing season temperature is estimated at 20.5°C. A climate-based vintage heuristic suggests that vintages with growing season temperatures near 20.5°C and January-February rainfall below 60mm are more likely to be exceptional. The heuristic suggests that the 2008 and 2011 vintages are undervalued, and a great 2024 vintage is to be expected. Rating inflation is evident for the portfolio of wines assessed. Similarly, inflation-adjusted auction prices for these wines have increased more than 5% annually. This price growth represents real value appreciation, suggesting that rating inflation may be attributed to objectively better wines. Proven adaptation strategies will be critical as warming and rainfall variability intensify. The increase in ratings and auction prices may already reflect successful farmer adaptation. While Stellenbosch winemakers have demonstrated resilience, increasing water scarcity may elevate the importance of winter rainfall effects, mirroring trends seen in Bordeaux.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language English
eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:24.523Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42193 The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021. Everts, Charl Jan Conradie, Beatrice Wine Stellenbosch Weather Growing season conditions are crucial in determining the quality of grapes in a vineyard. Identifying the climate variables with the greatest effect is therefore of interest to viticulturists and winemakers. Continued warming is evident for Stellenbosch since 2001, especially the last ten years. This study models the effect of temperature and rainfall variables on wine quality, represented by wine ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux-style red wines. Findings indicate that, in terms of the relationship between weather and wine quality, Stellenbosch aligns more closely with Australia than Bordeaux. Growing season temperatures and harvest rainfall play a significant role in determining the outcome of a vintage. An optimal growing season temperature is estimated at 20.5°C. A climate-based vintage heuristic suggests that vintages with growing season temperatures near 20.5°C and January-February rainfall below 60mm are more likely to be exceptional. The heuristic suggests that the 2008 and 2011 vintages are undervalued, and a great 2024 vintage is to be expected. Rating inflation is evident for the portfolio of wines assessed. Similarly, inflation-adjusted auction prices for these wines have increased more than 5% annually. This price growth represents real value appreciation, suggesting that rating inflation may be attributed to objectively better wines. Proven adaptation strategies will be critical as warming and rainfall variability intensify. The increase in ratings and auction prices may already reflect successful farmer adaptation. While Stellenbosch winemakers have demonstrated resilience, increasing water scarcity may elevate the importance of winter rainfall effects, mirroring trends seen in Bordeaux. 2025-11-12T11:34:40Z 2025-11-12T11:34:40Z 2025 2025-11-12T11:14:38Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42193 en eng application/pdf School of Economics Faculty of Commerce University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Wine
Stellenbosch
Weather
Everts, Charl Jan
The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.
thesis_degree_str Master's
title The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.
title_full The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.
title_fullStr The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.
title_full_unstemmed The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.
title_short The effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends from 2001-2021.
title_sort effect of weather on critic ratings and auction prices for stellenbosch bordeaux blends from 2001 2021
topic Wine
Stellenbosch
Weather
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42193
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