There’s a good reason why many chefs use organic foods in their recipes — they taste better! Organic farming starts with the nourishment of the soil which eventually leads to the nourishment of the plant and ultimately our palates. Wine is the perfect complement to many foods. It therefore makes sense to enjoy your organic food with a glass of organic wine, right?
On a recent trip to Waverley Hills, one of South Africa’s leading organic wine producers, I was reminded of the importance of organic farming and the positive impact it has on the environment.
This Tulbagh based farm entered the organic wine market in 2000. Since then a total of 30Ha of vineyards and olive groves have been planted and cultivated organically. All grapes and olives used for Waverley Hills’ products are cultivated on the estate, which is run and owned by the Du Toit family who have over 40 years of wine industry experience.
Apart from the organic wines and olive products, Waverley Hills also offers guests an organic dining experience at its restaurant, along with spectacular views over the valley. Organic, local produce and sustainably raised meats comprise the farm-to-table selection of dishes prepared by Chef Francois Du Toit, which pair perfectly with the estate’s organic wines.
If a visit to Waverley Hills does not convince you to buy more organic and biodynamic wines, then these 5 reasons will.
1. Say goodbye to wine headaches and hangovers
Many swear the missing chemical additives in organic wines make mornings a breeze. Organic wines don’t contain sulfur dioxide or any sulfur based preservatives. Traditional wines contain sulfur dioxide to permit the wine to age or perhaps be kept. Organic wines have only biological sulfur, this too in minuscule amounts, approximately 10 mg per liter. Sulfur dioxide in wine may cause very serious allergic reactions and it has been linked to enhancing the chances of getting a hangover.
2. Organic farming protects the environment
Artificial chemicals impact the nutrients and the tiny microcosm of microbes and organisms in the soil. The monoculture that is a vineyard depletes the soil incredibly, making it poorer. With organic practices you are creating a sustainable environment for future generations. Waverley Hills truly demonstrates the philosophy of farming in harmony with nature, with no conventional pesticides and chemical fertilisers being used. All the vineyards are irrigated with pure mountain spring water and are patrolled by a flock of white ducks picking snails of the precious vines on a daily bases. The team’s dedication to biodynamic practices have won them the Best Of Wine Tourism winner for Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices for two years in a row.
3. Protect the health of farm workers and your own
A Cancer Institute study found that farmers exposed to herbicides had a six times greater risk than non-farmers of contracting cancer. Pesticides are implicated in birth defects, nerve damage, and genetic mutations. Pesticides also contaminate the ground water, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country’s population.
4. Support a true and honest economy
Although organic wine might seem more expensive than conventional wines, conventional wine prices do not reflect hidden costs borne by taxpayers. Other hidden costs include pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste disposal and cleanup, and environmental damage. Price is however no biggie when it comes to the organic wines of Waverley Hills. At around R50 to R70 a bottle it’s cheaper than most conventional wines.
5. You are drinking wine filled with real natural flavours
Preservatives, flavourings, chemical food substance etc. are absent from true organic wines. Which means you are drinking actual wine, not 10% wine, 90% artificial additives.
To experience the best of organic wines, visit the tasting room at Waverley Hills, order it online, or pick-up a bottle of Waverley Hills Organic Wine from your local wine supplier.
