2025 Leeu Passant Harvest: A Vintage to Watch
At Leeu Passant, winemaking is more than a craft - it’s a tribute to the rich heritage and exceptional terroirs of the Western Cape. Nestled in the breathtaking Franschhoek Valley, our winery is dedicated to honouring tradition while embracing innovation, producing wines that reflect both the character of the land and our unwavering commitment to excellence.
Each vintage tells a story shaped by nature, and the 2025 harvest is no exception. To understand the wines now fermenting in our Franschhoek cellar, we must look back at the conditions that set the stage.
Following the 2024 harvest, our vineyard sites in Franschhoek, Wellington, and Stellenbosch’s Helderberg welcomed generous post-harvest rains - a vital recharge after the taxing ripening period. As autumn arrived in April and May, leaves fell and cooler temperatures set in, though winter rains only made a proper appearance in June. When they did come, they were ideal: deep-soaking 20 mm downpours rather than brief surface showers, replenishing soil moisture and encouraging the growth of cover crops between the vines. These cold, wet conditions allowed the vineyards to enter a crucial period of dormancy, restoring their energy reserves for the growing season ahead.
Spring brought a gentle awakening, with bud-break revealing the first vibrant green shoots. September and October were mild, with a few sharp temperature dips, allowing for even flowering and berry-set. Welcome rainfall punctuated the season, ensuring steady vine development. Early summer continued on a cool trajectory, with November and December unseasonably mild - until a burst of heat over Christmas spurred grape veraison into motion.
January, typically one of the Cape’s hottest months, was remarkably cooler than normal - the mildest since the inception of Leeu Passant. This extended the ripening period, creating ideal conditions for flavour and tannin development in the grapes. February then arrived with warmth, guiding the fruit through its final stages of ripeness.
For Leeu Passant, harvest officially began on 12 February with the first pickings of Wellington’s old-vine Cinsault. The red varieties - Wellington Cinsault, Franschhoek Cabernet Franc, and Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon - are already revealing hallmark characteristics of the vintage: deep, vivid colours, robust tannins, and a rich, layered flavour profile.
The white varieties - Franschhoek Sémillon and Stellenbosch Chardonnay - benefited from the temperate conditions, developing bright acidity and low pH levels, key elements for freshness and longevity in the bottle.
However, as winemaker Andrea Mullineux notes, this is still just the beginning. Apart from the quickly fermenting Cinsault, most of the wines are still undergoing spontaneous fermentation in our Franschhoek winery. While early signs are promising, the true character of the 2025 vintage will only fully reveal itself in the months to come - a story of nature, patience, and the timeless artistry of winemaking.
