South Africa’s premier Fairtrade wine producer, Bosman Family Vineyards has released 3 additional wines under the De Bos Handpicked Vineyards range. The Walker Bay Chardonnay 2012, the Walker Bay Pinot Noir 2012 and a brilliant Handpicked Merlot 2012 made their debut over lunch at 95 Keerom during Fairtrade Week and impressed with freshness and finesse.
Bosman Family Vineyards received high praise in the UK last year for its social and environmental contributions through accreditation with the internationally renowned Fairtrade organisation. The De Bos range is a tribute to the successful partnership between the Bosman family and Adama Appollo Workers Trust, which was born out of ancient lineage and a community’s unified respect for the land they own, the vines they graft, the vineyards they manage, the grapes they harvest and the families they are members of.
“Our philosophy is simple: if you care about the people that do the work, the people care about the work they do,” says Bosman Family Vineyards managing director Petrus Bosman. “The same can be said about the way we respect and care for our environment. The De Bos range of wines is an extension of this vision.”
Bosman Family Vineyards managing director Petrus Bosman
Winemaker Corlea Fourie shares the same view point. “We’re not in the grape business, we’re in the people business. We’re making De Bos for a greater cause.” To date the farm employs 250 permanent workers and Fairtrade assisted with crèches, playgrounds, and buses to take workers’ children to school.
Corlea added that Fairtrade’s accreditation has opened doors for the De Bos wine range, by facilitating listings in UK supermarkets, such as Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer.
Only the best fruit from vineyards in the Hermon, Walker Bay and Wellington regions were selected for the making of these wines and for winemaker Corlea Fourie it’s extremely important to create an authentic reflection of the sites and regions the grapes are hand-harvested from.
Winemaker Corlea Fourie
The 2012 vintages of the Walker Bay Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot joins the existing Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the range. Not only do these wines offer extreme value for money, they also contribute to a worthy cause.
The De Bos wines are available across South Africa from leading retailers and restaurants. The wines retail between R75 and R95 a bottle.
