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 Waverley Hills Organic Wines
   +27 23 231-0002/3
   +27 23 231-0004
   info@waverleyhills.co.za
   www.waverleyhills.co.za
 
Waverley organic wines are certainly different!

Health conscious wine connoisseurs will be pleased to learn that this wine is not only a soft enjoyable drinking wine, but also clean and free of pesticides. Waverley Hills Organic Wine estate is situated on the R46 between Tulbagh and Ceres at the foot of the winter snow-capped Witzenberg mountains and its diverse fynbos eco system. The Waverley Hills Organic Wine estate is situated on a natural water shed area, where both the Breede river and Berg river originated. Surprisingly those two rivers end up in two different oceans, namely Indian and the Atlantic Oceans.
 


Waverley Hills releases No Added Sulphur wine
15 November 2009  by Waverley Hills Organic Cellar
Waverley Hills Organic Cellar, situated on the Tulbagh wine route, recently released their No Added Sulphites Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.
This is the second year running that wine of this nature has been released by the Estate. With an ever increasing demand by the allergic or sensitive consumer to sulphites, Waverley Hills is one of the few Estates to produce a "No Added Sulphites" wine.

The use of sulphur in wine dates back to the Roman times and it's been so effective that to date there is nothing else better available on the market. More and more health conscience consumers want the option of a wine with low sulphites. Many people are unaware that sulphites are produced naturally when the yeasts ferment in the wine making process and it's therefore impossible to produce a sulphite-free wine. It is however, possible to produce a wine low in sulphite or free of added sulphites.

Certified organic producers not only have to adhere to strict controls with regards to no pesticide, no fungicides, no herbicides and no chemical fertilizers, they are also limited to the amount of sulphites they are allowed to add to their wines. They are generally permitted to add less than half the sulphites than that of conventional wines.

The production of wine with no added sulphites is not for the faint hearted. Tanks are kept as full as possible to limit contact with oxygen and Waverley Hills use reductive wine making practices which uses carbon dioxide as a preventative measure for contact with Oxygen. The natural tannins in red wine act as an antioxidant which prevents oxidation, while alcohol acts as a sterilizer, limiting growth of any unwanted organisms. Hygiene and good cellar practises are therefore also key. One of the biggest risks is in the bottling process. The bottles need to be sterilized with ozone before filling to remove any bacteria. Many producers have great wine in the tanks, but within weeks of bottling the wine begins to change colour losing fruit and oxidizing.

Waverley Hills is best known for producing organic wines with an unique style. The wines are extremely smooth with soft ripe tannins and robust fynbos characteristic. Their wines have mass appeal as they are fruit driven and easy to drink.

Waverley Hills sees it as a natural progression to strive to produce more natural wines with fewer added chemicals. The focus of the cellar is to produce wines that are in demand by the public and with this in mind will produce and expand the "No Added Sulphur" range to include other varieties in the future.
 
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