South African wine wins Fairtrade award
19 September 2012
South African winemaker Bosman Family Vineyards established itself as one of
the world's leading ethical wine producers by winning the Fairtrade Award at the
2012 International Wine Challenge (IWC) in the United Kingdom last week.
The Fairtrade Award is for wine-producing regions which are officially recognised as
being part of the Fairtrade Association.
Wines are judged on their individual merits and the award is presented to the highest
quality wine at the IWC with Fairtrade certification.
Bosman Family Vineyards was also the only South African winery to win one of the
trophies at this year's show.
The winning wine was the 2011 Wild Valley Chenin Blanc from the premium Fairtrade
range of Sainsbury's, Taste The Difference, and is made from the Bosman Fairtrade
Chenin Blanc vineyards from the Wellington Wine region.
The judges described the wine as "floral with white fruit aromas, fresh acidity,
appealing grapefruit honey flowers and a rich creamy, bready texture".
The wine is available from Sainsbury's in the United Kingdom at £7.99 (about R107).
"South Africa is the leader in sustainable and ethical wine production in the world and
we are excited that a South African wine is recognised in this way and that such
outstanding quality can actually be produced in an ethical and environmentally
responsible way," chief executive officer of Wines of South Africa, Su Birch, said in a
statement.
Bosman Family Vineyards managing director Petrus Bosman said: "Our story at
Bosman Family Vineyards is still being written and as a young team, we
are very aware that the pages we are on today is the result of the hard work and
dedication of those that have written our story before us.
"Farming with sustainable principles is something that has been carried over from one
generation to the next in our family and our experience has been that the
quality of
your product increases over time when you consistently invest in people and nature."
Three hundred and thirty-eight judges from 25 countries tasted 21 609 different
wines from over 50 countries.
The International Wine Challenge is one of the world's largest and most
comprehensive blind wine-tasting competitions, and the organisation was founded in
1983.
SAinfo reporter
