Sustainable wine-making is more than a buzzword; it’s an environmental philosophy that aims to transform a successful wine industry into one where man and nature thrive. Local wine farms have listened and it’s this commitment to greener wine production and sustainable farming practices that was celebrated at the Nedbank Green Wine Awards 2013. The winners were announced on 17 October at Moyo restaurant in the 100-year-old Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town. Of the 16 awards made (* see list below) and Laibach Woolworths Merlot 2012 took top honours as the Best Wine Overall in the Made from Organically Grown Grapes category (the wine was also the Organic Best Red), while Paul Cluver Gewürztraminer 2012 scooped the Best Biodiversity and Wine Initiative Wine Overall. Delheim in Stellenbosch was the Best Farming Practices Overall Winner, with La Motte named runner-up and a category winner in its own right. Since 2009 the Nedbank Green Wine Awards have saluted those producers making headway in sustainable farming and environmental preservation, while simultaneously elevating quality to produce better and greener wines. Greg Garden, group brand executive at Nedbank, says: “As SA’s green and caring bank, our involvement in the awards is an important component in our overall integrated sustainability commitment. A commitment that, in the past two decades, has seen Nedbank making a significant contribution to the preservation and protection of our environment through initiatives like The Nedbank Green Affinity Programme which, since the establishment of the WWF Nedbank Green Trust in 1990, has provided financial support of approximately R150 million to nearly 200 conservation projects across the country”. It is through the Green Trust that conservation projects such as the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) continue to make a mark towards transforming the sector. The Green Wines were judged in two categories, which received 133 entries: the Best Wines made from Organically Grown Grapes (this included biodynamic wines), and the Best wines certified under the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative. These wines went through a blind judging process by a panel led by internationally experienced Fiona McDonald, where it was emphasised that consumers expect green wines to deliver on quality. As one panelist commented, ‘Nowadays these wines are working on merit, not because they are green, BWI or organic. Diners might order the first bottle because of the organic novelty value, but the second bottle is sent for because they enjoyed drinking the first.’ Judges in the Best Farming Practices category looked at not only what goes into the bottle, but considered the well-being of farm employees and surrounding communities and the wider impact of farming on the surrounding environments. The Best Farming Practices sub-categories were broadened in 2013 to identify wineries showing excellence in sustainable tourism and community development. The judging panel included Duimpie Bayly, honorary life president of the SA Society of Enology and wine Viticulture, Daniël Schietekat of the Integrated Production of Wine, and Cameron Ewart-Smith, editor of Getaway and a former marine biologist. As always, qualifying wines will be allowed to display their Green credentials on bottle stickers. But identifying the top-scoring wines from the Nedbank Green Wine Awards 2013 is now even easier with Checkers providing branded displays at various stores throughout the country. The full results and a competition overview is available in South Africa’s Green Wine Guide 2013, bagged free with the November issue of Getaway, which is on sale from 21 October. Results are also available at www.greenwineawards.com. Wine enthusiasts will be able to taste a sample of the winning wines from the 2013 Nedbank Green Wine Awards in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban in November. More information on these tasting events can be found at www.greenwineawards.com/tasting-events. Twitter: @GreenWineAwards #NedbankGreenWine Winning Wines Best wines made from Organically Grown Grapes Best Wine Overall – Laibach Woolworths Merlot 2012 Best Red – Laibach Woolworths Merlot 2012 Best White – Waverley Hills Viognier Semillon Chardonnay 2011 Bloggers’ Choice – Waverley Hills Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier 2010 Best Value – Org de Rac Unwooded Chardonnay 2013 Best Biodiversity and Wine Initiative Wines Best Wine Overall – Paul Cluver Gewürztraminer 2012 Best Red – Uitkyk Estate Carlonet 2009 Best White – Paul Cluver Gewürztraminer 2012 Bloggers’ Choice – Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2011 Best Value – Backsberg Tread Lightly Chenin Blanc 2012 Best Farming Practises Winners Overall Winner – Delheim Runner-up – La Motte Best Contribution to Conservation – Delheim Best Contribution to Farming Practices and Production Integrity – Bartinney Best (Sustainable) Contribution to Tourism – La Motte Best Contribution to Community Development – Delheim For more photos of the event - click HERE For high-resolution images or information, please contact Kathryn Frew on 021-530-3308 or email kathryn.frew@ramsaymedia.co.za.