Sawubona gets to know more about winemaker at Waverley Hills, Johan Delport, and the organic production that this estate has committed to.

How did you find yourself at Waverley Hills?

I always had a love for agriculture and creating things. Making wine is the ideal combination of these passions. I worked my way up through the wine industry, like all other ambitious winemakers. Then the opportunity at Waverley Hills came along and I couldn’t resist it.

How do you know when you’ve produced an excellent vintage?

The best way to experience it is by walking through the vineyards when the grapes are in the process of ripening and regularly tasting the grapes and the progression of ripeness. You just get a feeling, by tasting the flavours, that those grapes will turn into great wines.

Waverley Hills has embraced organic production – why the organic focus?

The owners have been in the recycling business for more than four decades, so it was just natural to go organic. And it’s the right thing to do for the environment. It also gives you a bit of an advantage in the market.

What organic techniques are used and what effect does this have on the wine?

We only use natural products on the farm, to enhance the resistance of the plants against diseases. No chemicals are used. The same is true for the winemaking process. This gives the wine a much more natural and purer taste than wines made with artificial additives. You can taste the grapes in organic wines!