The organic route is part of this choice and forms a category in the Nedbank Green Wine Awards. Other categories include the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) and the Best Farming Practices which assesses and rewards those who are responding to environmental challenges in meaningful and successful ways.
Since its inception in
2009, the main thrust of the Nedbank Green Wine Awards has been to reward and
elevate the quality of wines made from organically grown grapes, honouring
those wine producers that put our wellbeing and the wellbeing of the planet
first. 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 led by internationally renowned wine judge Fiona McDonald.
Aside from the wines, the
Best Farming Practice category remains a key part of the competition and
continues to promote sustainable farming and conservation of the Cape
winelands. This year saw a change to the award of Best Farming Practice to a
nominated award. The award for Best Farming Practice was bestowed upon a farm
that has been voted as the winner by their fellow peers, through a nomination
and motivation process.
Fifteen top achievers
were announced at this year’s awards function held on the 15th October in Cape
Town (*see winners list below). 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.
The full results and a competition overview are available in South
Africa’s Green Wine Guide 2015, bagged with the November issue of Getaway,
which is on sale from 19 October. Results are also available at greenwineawards.com.
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 greenwineawards.com/tasting-events.
2015 winners:
*Winning Wines
Best wines made
from Organically Grown Grapes
Best
Wine Overall – Org De Rac La Verne MCC 2012
Best
Red – Reyneke Cornerstone 2013
Best
White – LAIBACH WOOLWORTHS LADYBIRD CHARDONNAY 2014
Bloggers’
Choice – Org De Rac La Verne MCC 2012
Best
Value – Stellar Organics Running Duck Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Best Integrated
Production of Wine
Best
Wine Overall – Sijnn White 2013
Best
Red – Waverley Hills Grenache 2014
Best
White – Sijnn White 2013
Bloggers’
Choice – The FMC 2013
Best
Value – Wildekrans Wine Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2015
*Best Farming
Practice Winners
Overall
Winner – Wildekrans
Leader
in Energy Conservation – Lourensford
Leader
in Water Conservation – Spier
Leader
in Eco-tourism – Villiera
Leader
in Community Development – Wildekrans