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How to choose a conservation-conscious South African wine |
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Edition 35: Summer 2006
In South Africa, winemakers and
environmentalists are working together to preserve the Cape’s unique
natural heritage. Emma Davis raises a glass to the guilt-free tipple.
 As consumers we’re becoming more inquisitive, keen to
find out the heritage and provenance of the products we buy. For
example, we may want to know the breed of cattle our cut of beef is
from and where the cattle grazed. Some of us now choose to avoid
international brands unless we’re certain that the producer’s employees
are treated fairly.
One industry which is embracing these
changes is the South African wine industry, which has been working
closely with conservation and environmental bodies in introducing the
Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI). The aim is to make winemaking
sustainable and to minimise the loss of threatened natural habitats.
Nearly 18,000 hectares have been saved since the project began and the
initiative continues to grow.
The Cape has a diverse yet fragile
ecosystem which includes more plant species than the entire northern
hemisphere ‐ well over nine thousand, many of them unique to South
Africa. The BWI wineries are working to create vineyards which are
sustainable and also ensure the protection of the indigenous flora.
The
region’s climate, topography and soils together produce good, varied
wine-growing conditions. Those who run the vineyards and wineries are
constantly looking at what they can do to protect the local environment
while producing varied, natural and authentic wines. Their eco-friendly
strategies include planting vines along the gradient to prevent erosion
and spraying them as little as possible. In the wineries, the use of
sulphur dioxide is kept to a minimum and natural yeasts are widely used.
It’s
not just about respect for the land, but respect for the people too.
The South African wine industry promotes good employment practices and
is committed to fair trade.
Over 40 wineries are involved in the
BWI campaign and many of these export to the UK. You can buy their
wines with a clear conscience, knowing that these producers are trying
to preserve their land’s heritage for future generations. What’s more,
their methods use minimal interference to produce delicious, natural
wines which reflect the diversity of The Cape. If you want to
experiment, why not try the Sauvignon Blancs from some of the wineries
listed below and see if you can taste the difference? Each wine
reflects the unique conditions in the vineyards where the grapes were
grown.
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