Green wine

Friday, January 25th, 2013

George W Bush left a somewhat dubious (Dubya-ish?) legacy when he vacated the Oval office in favour of Barack Obama four years ago. Among his many fumbles while holding the highest office in the world was the continued refusal of the United States to sign the Kyoto Protocol – a treaty initially adopted by the world’s nations in December 1997.

The goal of the Protocol was to get agreement on firstly stabilising and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a level which would prevent further damage to the earth’s climatic systems. It was one of the most significant environmental frameworks of the past century. It acknowledged the damage that has been done to the earth.

Even before the Kyoto protocol was mooted environmentally aware groups were warning of the effects of climate change and lobbying for more drastic action. Fast forward fifteen years and there is widespread recognition of the irreparable harm done to the planet and broad adoption of plans to at least stem the tide.

Alternative energy has crossed over into the mainstream with more and more domestic home owners opting for solar energy or even hybrid vehicles. Dessertification and melting polar ice caps make the news – as do changing weather patterns. The Eastern seaboard of the United States is reeling from the impact of recent super storm Sandy while South Africans know that once every decade El Nino will affect our annual rainfall. Which makes efforts such as the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI), Integrated Production of Wine, organic and biodynamic winemaking and the support for efforts such as these by Nedbank in the form of the annual Green Wine Awards more laudable.

The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative was established a number of years ago and South Africa now boasts in excess of 130 000 hectares of land given over to conservation by wine farmers alone, compared with 102 000 hectares of vineyard. (For more information on BWI visit www.wwf.org.za/what_we_do/outstanding_places/fynbos/biodiversity___wine_initiative/ )

The Green Wine Awards is already in its fourth year and while Nedbank’s sponsorship has never wavered, the vehicle for publicising the winning wines has changed from Wine magazine (2009 and 2010) to sister publication Getaway magazine since 2011. The results were announced this week – and, for the third time in four years, biodynamic producer, Reyneke wines, walked off with the ultimate accolade. Whereas Reyneke Chenin Blanc won the top prize for wines made from organically produced grapes in 2010 and 2011, it was the Reyneke Reserve Red 2009, a Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon mix which impressed the judges this year.*

Conventional wine farmers have begun to crossover and adopt a number of practices which were formerly the preserve of the organic lobby – things such as composting and using natural predators to control disease and pests in the vineyards, natural ferments and lower sulphur regimes. But it is in the field of best conservation and environmental good practice awards where huge strides are being made. With the Western Cape being in a winter rainfall area and with climate change an accepted reality, water management and preservation has become critical, particularly in the wine fraternity.

Acknowledged for their efforts for best contribution to water management was Waverley Hills Organic winery in Tulbagh while the best contribution to energy efficiency was made by Stellenbosch producer Bartinney wines. Spier won the award for best contribution to environmental initiatives and awareness programmes while Cloof/Burgherspost of Darling made the best contribution to Cape Winelands eco-tourism and conservation. The overall prize for innovation and leadership in conservation and environmental good practice went to Spier. Head of the judging panel which included Inge Kotze of the WWF and wine write Joanne Gibson, Duimpie Bayly said it had been impossible to separate the runners up simply because all had set such a high standard – and La Motte, Cloof/Burgherspost and Waverley Hills were tied.

(* Declaration of interest – I chaired the judging panel for the 2012 Nedbank Green Wine Awards, tasting with Christian Eedes, Howard Booysen, Jonathan Snashall and Harry Haddon.)