Visi – July 2019

COMPILED BY

KAY-ANN VAN ROOYEN

FIND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE COMPETITION ON PAGE 188.

LAIBACH

This winery in the

Simonsberg ward of

Stellenbosch has been

farming all its vine-

yards organically since

2000. Growing grapes
      without herbicides,
      pesticides and
      chemical fertilisers
      is a challenge, but
      the owners say they
      know in the long term
      there will be fewer
      chemical residues in
      the soil, atmosphere,
      ground water and the
      wine itself. Besides,
      more and more
      people believe that
      organically grown
      grapes express the
      fruit and intensity of
      varietal character at
      its best.
      Laibach entered its
      first organic varietal
      wine, the Laibach
      Woolworths Merlot
      2010, for the 2011
      Michelangelo Inter-
      national Wine & Spirits
      Awards – and won
      not only the Organic
      Trophy but also
      a Grand d’Or medal.
      The wine is vegan
      and added SO 2 is kept
      to a minimum.
      laibachwines.com

Ladybird Red 2016,

R135

REYNEKE

Reyneke Wines,

situated on the Old

Polkadraai Road

near Stellenbosch,

is certified organic

and bio dynamic.

The vineyards are

herbicide-, pesticide-

and fungicide-free.

Companion plants

growing between the

rows outcompete

weeds, break up

compacted soil,

harbour beneficial

insects, and convert

nitrogen from the

atmosphere into

compounds that the

vines can use.

Reyneke was the

first organic or bio-

dynamic winery to

receive five stars in the

authoritative Platter’s

Wine Guide, in 2013 – for

not one but two wines.

The principle of no

artificial additives in

the vineyards extends

to the cellar, so you

won’t find commer-

cial ly cultivated yeast

or other fermentation

aids here.

Reyneke wines are

vegan and contain no

sulphites.

reynekewines.co.za

Reyneke Organic

Chenin Blanc 2018, R89

AVONDALE

All 70 hectares of

land under vines on

this farm near Paarl

is certified or ganic,

and they practise

biodynamic farming.

Owner Johnathan

Grieve wants to show

that wines produced

following organic and

biodynamic principles

can improve with age

just as well and per-

haps even better than

their con ventional

counterparts.

Avondale

relies on natural ly

occurring yeasts and

spontaneous fer ment-

ation, a process that

can take months to

complete. “Different

yeast strains take over

at different stages,”

says Johnathan. “This

combination of wild

yeasts, along with

a warmer oxidative

style of fermentation,

builds character,

elegance and com-

plexity in the wine.”

All Avondale wines

are vegan, and they

use very little SO 2 in

the cellar.

avondalewine.co.za

Avondale Samsara

Syrah 2009 Decade

Edition, R350

WAVERLEY HILLS

Situated at the foot of

the Witzenberg range

near Wolseley, this

organic wine and olive

farm is a WWF Con-

servation Champion – it

is acknowledged as an

environ mental leader

for its commitment

to conservation and

responsible production

practices. On the farm

they fertilise with

composts and manures,

use cover crops, remove

alien vegetation,

protect indigenous

species, intro duce

natural predators in the

vine yards to combat

pests, and keep ducks

to control snails.

Waverley Hills has

been raking in the

awards, including the

Inter national Wine

& Spirit Com petition

2018 Trophy for the

Best Organic Wine in

the World for the SMV

featured here.

Waverley Hills’

wines are vegan,

but they do contain

sulphites within the

limits allowed for

organic wines.

waverleyhills.co.za

Waverley Hills SMV

Shiraz/Mourvèdre/

Viognier 2013, R210

WIN! One person will win a six-bottle mixed case of Waverley Hills wines. Enter at VISI.co.za/win.

179 visi.co.za JUNE/JULY 2019