Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 5 May 2015 | Page 11

South African
organic winemakers
have carved out a
successful niche for
themselves

Winery, South Africa’s biggest producer of
organic and fair trade wines and the UK’s
No. 1 organic wine brand supplier. “Sulphur
dioxide has a bleaching effect on the
phenolic compounds, which are responsible
for the colour in red wines, so there can be
a marked difference, especially in the case of
no added sulphur wines. The lack of chemical
spraying and the restrictions on chemicals
like sulphur in the cellar make the vineyard
and surrounding areas a much safer and
healthier work environment for employees.”

The Vredendal-based winery is also the
largest producer of no added sulphur wines
in the world – a healthy alternative that is
gaining greater and wider appeal.
“What’s particularly nice about organic wines
is that you can taste the terroir beautifully,”
says Johan Delport, winemaker at Waverley
Hills. “We are situated outside Wolseley
and many of our wines have a herbaceous
or fynbos quality to them due to the close
proximity of the vineyards to the conserved