Catastrophe Alarm at Darling Cellars

Darling Cellars is less than 16 km from the Atlantic Ocean in the Darling region. Last month, the wine estate was flooded due to the rupture of a 50,000-liter tank, which unleashed a deluge of red wine and triggered a catastrophic chain reaction, resulting in a loss of 250,000 liters of wine and significant damage.

The chain reaction likely began when the stand that supported one of the large steel tanks collapsed. The first tank knocked down a neighboring tank, which in turn toppled another… a nightmare scenario for any winery. Some tanks also breached through the winery's walls and damaged pipes.

Fortunately, there were no injuries, though a large amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cinsault was lost. “The new year started with great hopes,” said Riaan de Waal, the managing director of Darling Cellars, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the South African wine industry, leaving many wineries in acute financial distress.

“The team at Darling Cellars is accustomed to facing significant challenges, and we always find a way to persevere,” de Waal stated.

While the winery has lost some of its 2021 vintage, it does not foresee acute risks to supply or operations. “We are confident that we can procure red wines to replace the lost ones,” de Waal added. “We just have to reorganize our resources and continue selling efficiently.”

De Waal intends to replace the damaged tanks before the 2022 harvest. “We have received so much support from the industry that we are truly humbled and grateful for all the help,” de Waal expressed. “We will harness this positive energy to continue succeeding!”

Although this is the first incident of its kind for Darling Cellars, such occurrences are not unknown in the industry. Last year, a 50,000-liter tank burst at a Spanish winery, and a mechanical failure led to nearly 200,000 liters of wine flowing into a river in Sonoma.