Buying guide: Nedbank Green Wine Awards

Nedbank Green Wine Awards
audited ratings

About the category: For the inaugural Nedbank Green Wine Awards, producers were asked to submit wine from organically grown grapes, a condition of entry being that submissions be accompanied by valid certification, such as that issued by the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS).

A distinction needs to be drawn between wine made from "organically grown grapes" and "organic wine", with the former covering practices in the vineyard alone and not in the cellar.

Organic viticulture can be defined as grape growing that shuns manmade pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilisers. Full-blown organic wines also require a particular approach to the winemaking, with restrictions placed on how the grapes are processed. In particular, permitted levels of sulphur dioxide (a preservative) are lower.

Hence, this was very much a tasting of wines from organically grown grapes rather than of organic wines.

Judging procedures: There were 51 entries from 19 different producers, and these were divided up into categories according to grape variety or style and tasted blind by the five-person panel, with scoring done according to the 20-point/5 Star system.

The panel set about examining each wine purely on its own merits. Given that the line-up was so disparate, the feeling was that it would be best to decide on what to award only after judging had been completed. Rather neatly, one white and one red emerged a clear step above the competition, these being Lazanou Organic Vineyards Chenin Blanc 2008 and Laibach The Ladybird Red 2007 respectively.

Key findings: Are wines from organically grown grapes organoleptically different to wines from conventionally grown grapes? Not really, was the feeling. Quality brackets were more or less proportionate to those of the overall wine industry.

Perhaps more wines than usual showed insufficient flavour development and the speculation here was that organic growers are inclined to pick earlier than normal: extra hang-time becomes particularly nerve-wracking when you don't have recourse to chemical treatments in the event of natural calamity.

There were simultaneously quite a few wines that showed oxidation, causing the panel to wonder whether some producers were applying unrealistically low sulphur regimes in the cellar.

Perhaps the most interesting point of debate concerned the prospects of the organic movement, whose premise is the notion that nature is self-balancing. Encourage biological diversity and the vineyard will develop natural defences against attack from pest and disease.

Soils, meanwhile, will be preserved and enhanced. There are thus economic gains to be had as a result of less expenditure on chemical treatments while it is also the morally responsible course of action. It furthermore has a marketing advantage: organic products are attractive to the consumer in terms of food safety while also appealing to his or her better nature.

All that said, there were various factors militating against the growth of the organic movement. Neighbours that farm according to conventional methods can easily contaminate organic vineyards so typically these have to be secluded in order to acquire and retain organic status.

Practising organic viticulture is also hugely risky: in the face of a severe downy mildew epidemic, for instance, organic methods of fungicide will be inadequate and could lead to the loss of an entire crop. Acquiring official accreditation has its own set of expenses and can be cumbersome. And then, of course, it presumes a level of engagement with the issues from the consumer that often isn't there.

Moreover, too many wines from organic grapes have historically been below par in quality terms. Perceptions that "organic wines" aren't up to scratch further removes the impetus necessary to grow the category.

Perhaps what's most important, for those who care about not only the future of the South African wine industry but also the future of the planet, is that "organic" and "environmentally sustainable" are related but not synonymous: sustainable production needs to be broadly defined, and it doesn't start and stop in the vineyards.

THE JUDGES

Editor of WINE magazine Christian Eedes (chairman) (CE), honorary member of the Institute of Cape Wine Masters Colin Frith (CF), Cape Wine Master Cathy van Zyl (CvZ), wine writer Angela Lloyd (AL), winemaker and Wine Judging Academy graduate Trizanne Barnard (TB).

WHITE WINES
★ ★ ★ ★ four stars
Lazanou Organic Vineyards
Chenin Blanc 2008
CE LLAR PRICE R60
Alc 14% RS 2g/l TA 6.31g/l pH 3.38
Deep yellow. Waxy, leesy notes on the nose.
A complex palate with good fruit expression
and bright acidity. Citrus through tropical
fruit flavours. Well balanced with a long
finish - a distinctive wine. Drink now or
over 2 years.
CE 18 CF 15 CvZ 15 AL 17 TB 15

★ ★ ★ ✩ three and a half stars
Stellar Organics Chenin Blanc 2009* R19.95
Reyneke Reserve White 2008 R160

★ ★ ★ three stars
Stellar - Woolworths Organic R29.95
Swooping Swallow
Sauvignon Blanc 2009* ARP
The Ruins CVV 2008* (Bon Cap) R40
Bon Cap Viognier 2009 R60
Tukulu Organic R68.82
Chardonnay 2008 ARP

★ ★ ✩ two and a half stars
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R35
Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2008*
Spier Organic R70
Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ARP
La Motte Pierneef Collection R94
Sauvignon Blanc 2008

★ ★ TWO STARS
Stellar - Woolworths Organic R36.95
Feeding Duck Chardonnay 2009* ARP
The Green House R40
Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Bon Cap)
Reyneke Organic Grapes R80
Sauvignon Blanc 2008
La Motte Pierneef Collection R94

Sauvignon Blanc 2009*
★ ONE STAR
Groot Parys Die Tweede Droom R39
Spontane Gisting Chenin Blanc 2009 (vinolok)
Boland Natural Ferment R40
Chenin Blanc 2009
Groot Parys Die Tweede Droom R54
Vatgegis Chenin Blanc 2008

RED WINES
★ ★ ★ ★ FOUR STARS
Laibach The Ladybird Red 2007
CELLAR PRICE R81
Alc 14% RS 2.6g/l TA 6.7g/l pH 3.59

Intense black. A brooding nose showing dark
fruit and some herbal notes.  e palate is
rich and full but balanced. Solid fruit core,
firm, chewy tannins and bright acidity. Still
youthful - keep for 2 to 3 years.
CE 17 CF 15.5 CvZ 15 AL 16 TB 15.5

★ ★ ★ ✩ THREE AND A HALF STARS
Bon Cap Cape Blend 2006 R60

★ ★ ★ THREE STARS
The Ruins Pinotage 2008* (Bon Cap) R40
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R47
Shiraz 2005
Lazanou Organic Vineyards R80
Syrah Mourvèdre 2008
Reyneke Cornerstone 2008 R80
Laibach  e Ladybird Red 2008 R81
Reyneke - Woolworths R89.95
Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah 2007 ARP
Lazanou Organic Vineyards Syrah 2007 R90
Reyneke Reserve Red 2007 R320

★ ★ ✩ TWO AND A HALF STARS
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R30
Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Bergwater Organically Grown R35
Shiraz 2008*
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R60
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007
Schonenberg Organic Syrah 2008 R78
Upland Organic Estate R80
Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Domain Org de Rac Family Reserve R85
Shiraz 2005
Tukulu R86.54
Organically Produced Sangiovese 2007 ARP
TMV - Woolworths Syrah Mourvèdre R190
2005 (Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards) ARP

★ ★ TWO STARS
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R40
Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2006
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R49
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Domain Org de Rac R50
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Waverley Hills Organic Viticulture R65
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Upland Organic Estate R80
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
TMV - Woolworths Syrah Mourvèdre R190
2006 (Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards) ARP

★ ONE STAR
Waverley Hills Organic No Added R45
Sulphites Cabernet Sauvignon 2009*
Domain Org de Rac Merlot 2006 R50
Domain Org de Rac Shiraz 2006 R50
Upland Organic Estate R100
Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

ALSO TASTED
Schonenberg Organic Syrah 2007 R78

OTHER WINES
★ ★ ★ ✩ THREE AND A HALF STARS
Heaven on Earth Organic R55.06
Sweet Wine 2009 (Stellar)
Groot Parys Die Tweede Droom R89
Vin de Paille 2008

★ ★ ★ THREE STARS
Upland Organic Estate Guinevere R90
Cape Ruby 2006

★ ★ ✩ TWO AND A HALF STARS
The Ruins Sparkling Brut 2009 (Bon Cap) R40

★ ★ TWO STARS
Winds of Change Cabernet Sauvignon R47
Dry Rosé Sparkling Wine (Sonop)

PRICES: wines in each quality grouping
are listed in order of ascending price - all
ex-cellar unless otherwise stipulated.

ARP Approximate retail price
* Bottled under screwcap