It
has now been six years since the inception of these awards in 2009 and we have seen
such an improvement in our Green and Biodiverse wines. The awards were held in
a new venue for us: In the Vine on the R44 in Helderberg. A total of 150 wines
were judged across two categories (Best wines made from Organically Grown
Grapes and Best Wines from Integrated Production of Wine category). The panel was led by internationally renowned wine judge Fiona MacDonald. Other members were
Greg Mutambe, Dr Winnie Bowman CWM, Francois Rautenbach and winemaker Nomonde Kubheka. Wine journalists Anel Grobler of Spit or Swallow and Shante Hutton of Wine.co.za were co-opted onto the tasting panel as bloggers
The venue has lots of parking in the
front
The interior is airy and spacious
And the lawn outside was a perfect
venue for a welcoming glass of bubbly
Ramsey Media Getaway publisher Neil Piper opened proceedings
It was a well attended function
Sponsor of the Awards is Nedbank. Alistair
Pearce of Private Banking gave the speech. The partnership with Ramsey Media
started in 2008. Nedbank donate R200 million a year from customers' Green
Affinity cards to conservation projects. They have issued a Green Wine map
which they hope will boost tourism in the sector
The starter was a wild mushroom
risotto, served with Ken Forrester's excellent IPW award winning Chenin Blanc, FMC.
Non mushroom eaters got a cheese
Risotto
Inge Kotze, Senior Programme
manager for WWF SA. Sustainability is key to the wine industry. South Africa is the smallest of the 6 global plant kingdoms but it is the most diverse. In the past vineyards, were
a threat to this kingdom; now things have changed as biodiversity and wine
partnerships have been born, steering farming away from threatened areas.
Head of the judging panel, Journalist
Fiona McDonald. She told us that there were no fault wines this year. There
were 78 IVW entries and 64 Organic entries. Reds outperformed white wines this
year for a change. There was also an organic grappa entered. The Org de Rac
MCC, which was served to us on arrival, was the Bloggers' choice
The award winners with their
certificates. There are 15 top achievers. Org De Rac La Verne MCC 2012 took top
honours in the Best Wine Overall in the Made from Organically Grown Grapes
category (the wine was also the Bloggers’ Choice Award). Sijnn White 2013
scooped the Best Integrated Production of Wine Overall (the wine was also the
IPW Best White). Wildekrans was named the Best Farming Practices Overall
Winner. Wines from Organically grown Grapes: Best red won by Reyneke for
Cornerstone 2013; Best White: The Ladybird Chardonnay 2014; Best value winner
Stellar Organics Running Duck Sauvignon Blanc 2015/ Integrated Production of
Wine winners wsere Best Red Waerley Hills Grenache 2014; Best White Sijnn 2013;
Bloggers Choice Ken Forrester FEMC 2013 Best Value Winner Wildekrans Sauvignon
Blanc 2015. There were also four more awards: Leader in Energy conservation:
Lourensford. Leader in Water conservation: Spier. Leader in Eco Tourism:
Villiera; Leaders in Community Development & Best farming practice, Wildekrans
David Trafford of Sjinn wines with his
award
The venue has marvellous views of the
Helderberg mountain
The main course of good tender fillet
of beef on a bed of mash with a rather metallic and sour sauce of yellow and
red capsicum peppers
Rene Barnard of Singita Private game
reserve
Cape Wine Master Duimpie Bayly made a very amusing closing
speech
A book published by WWF on our Wine
Kingdom and conservation success stories
Dessert came as three separate items.
A berry crumble, a custard tart and a cinnamon and ginger ice cream. All rather
sweet
More winners with their awards
Wine
enthusiasts will be able to sample the winning wines from the 2015 Nedbank
Green Wine Awards in Cape Town and Johannesburg in November. More information
on these tasting events can be found at www.greenwineawards.com/tasting-events
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor
& Bacchus 2015
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