The Nedbank Green Wine Awards, launched in 2009, acknowledges the South African wine producers that have embraced and adopted enviromentally friendly and organic farming practices.
The awards are given in two categories – for the Best Organic Wine as well as the Best Environmental Practice Award.
Best Wine from Organically Grown Grapes:
Producers were invited to submit wine from organically grown grapes, a condition of entry being that submissions be accompanied by valid certification. This year there were 49 entries from 11 different producers, and these were divided up into categories according to grape variety or style and tasted blind by a threeperson panel, with scoring done according to the 20-point/5 Star system. The panel examined each wine purely on its own merits and, given that the line-up was so disparate, the awards were decided upon only after judging had been completed.
This year’s panel was comprised of the esteemed judges Christian Eedes (Panel Chairperson), Cathy van Zyl and Fran?ois Rautenbach.
Best White and Best Wine Overall was Reyneke Chenin Blanc 2010, Best Red was Laibach The Ladybird Red 2010 and Best Natural Sweet was Stellar Heaven on Earth Natural Sweet NV.
Featuring in this year’s guide are 21 white wines, 28 red wines and 6 other wines (including sweet and rosé wines).
Top 10 wines in the Nedbank Green Wine Awards:
4 Stars
Reyneke Chenin Blanc 2010 – R100
Waverley Hills 2010 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – R45
Laibach Ladybird Red 2010 – R85
Stellar Organic Heaven on Earth – R59
3 ½ Stars
Reyneke Chenin Blanc/Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc 2010 – R55
Laibach Woolworths Merlot 2010 – R85
3 Stars
Reyneke Sauvignon Blanc 2010 – R80
Waverley Hills Shiraz 2009 – R50
Wedderwill 17°C 2008 – R53
Waverley Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 – R50
Best Environmental Practices Award:
This category of the Nedbank Green Wine Awards highlights those producers that farm in a sustainable manner, while giving back to the environment and community in which they exist. Entrants to the Best Environmental Practices Award are assessed on water management, conservation of natural areas and ecosystems, energy efficiency/ reduction of carbon emissions, soil management, chemical control and other environmental initiatives (from education programmes and community involvement to eco-tourism).
A minimum condition of entry is a 70% IPW rating from the WWF Biodiversity & Wine Initiative. There were 10 entrants and the panel consisted of Tom McLaughlin (Good Business Journey project manager for Woolworths Foods), soil scientist Lourens van Schoor (head of IPW auditing body Enviroscientific), Inge Kotze (senior manager, WWF Sustainable Agriculture Programme) and Johan Reyneke of Reyneke Wines.
The winners in this category were:
Winner: Paul Cluver, Elgin
Runner-up: La Motte, Franschhoek
3rd place: Waverley Hills, Tulbagh
4th place: Cloof/Burgherspost, Darling
Congratulations to all the wineries and wine producers who continue to make an immense contribution to South Africa leading the way in sustainable grape growing and environmentally sound cellar practices.