As the majority of the world’s wine regions, especially in the Northern hemisphere, have suffered fairly miserable 2012 harvesting conditions, favourable weather in South Africa could create a bumper crop for most of the country’s wine regions.

In fact, one South African industry association is predicting that 2013 will produce an expected 1.38 million metric tons of grapes making it the country’s third biggest wine grape crop on record. The increased volumes, however, are not just because of good weather; many vignerons have introduced better planting practices to boost yields.

The year has seen “one of the best winter seasons in the Western Cape for many years,” the association said. “Wine producers have continuously adapted viticultural practices and increased yields per hectare, while retaining quality, in an attempt to align costs with grape and wine prices.”

South Africa has been producing wine in the area around Cape Town since the 1600s, following the arrival of European settlers. It is the world’s ninth biggest wine producer and grows white grapes, including Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, while red varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinotage, a hybrid developed in the country.

However, all is not well in the Western Cape wine region as thousands of farmworkers go on strike demanding higher wages. Many of them, seasonally employed to pick and pack fruit, suspended their strikes in December after vineyards and warehouses were set on fire and at least two workers died in clashes with police.

The general secretary of the Bawsi Agricultural Workers Union of South Africa said: “We have not reached a deal because of the intransigence of farmers. We have been met with naked racism and white arrogance.”

Workers want their minimum daily wage of 69 rand (€6) increased to 150 rand (€13, but farmers say the demands are too high.