South Africa is apparently the first country in the world to issue a wine bottle seal certifying the "wine has been grown and produced sustainably". The seal is issued by the Wine and Spirit Board and is intended for bottled wines only.

Every seal carries a unique number, through which the wine’s provenance (wine speak for where it comes from) can be tracked from vine to bottle. The system starts this year and is a voluntary system available to wineries that have passed the accreditation of the Integrated Production of Wines' (IPW) set of sustainable principles, at farm, winery and bottling levels. IPW covers a range of issues such as integrated pest management, the health of workers, the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as how waste is handled.

Key elements of the IPW scheme are that withholding periods of agrochemicals may not be exceeded; no unregistered chemicals may be used; non-permitted residues may not be present in grapes; introduction of natural predators in vineyards; and all relevant legislation pertaining to cultivation of virgin soil (including environmental impact assessments), registration and treatment of water use, and all aspects related to the health and safety of workers, and the handling, storage and disposal of agrochemicals and empty containers, must be complied with.

Compliance with the IPW guidelines is assessed on an annual basis through the completion of a self-evaluation questionnaire and is independently audited. Independent auditors appointed by the WSB audit farms and wineries on a random basis over a three-year cycle. In order for cellars to be IPW accredited, they must have a rigorous and recorded IPW system in place with all the farms that supply them with grapes.

The seal is the result of collaboration between the Wine & Spirits Board, IPW, as well as the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) and Wines of South Africa (WOSA) with the marketing body responsible for the worldwide launch of the concept as part of its Brand South Africa campaign.

The IPW guidelines for farms consist of 15 chapters that address all cultivation aspects, such as correct selection of cultivars, vineyard layout, irrigation, Integrated Pest Management, pruning etc. In May 2004, a revised version of Chapter 2 was officially accepted by the IPW Committee for the 2004/5 production years, after more stringent guidelines were suggested by the BWI and this chapter is now more commonly referred to as the ‘Biodiversity Guidelines'.

It is these specific guidelines that the BWI seeks to promote and assist producers to implement. All producers are required to evaluate their farms based on these new guidelines. The BWI has produced a biodiversity guideline self-assessment form which consists of 40 questions to help guide the producer in allocating the appropriate score for this section on the overall IPW evaluation forms, and point out areas that farm management can improve on.

WOSA CEO, Su Birch, speaking on behalf of the Sustainability initiative, says the seal is expected to give another boost to the country’s already widely recognised international lead in the production integrity of wine. “Although other countries are introducing similar initiatives on a limited scale, at this stage South Africa is the only country to have the means to implement and certify the concept across the entire wine industry.”

“The seal is a continuation of the local wine industry’s pioneering approach to sustainable wine growing and wine making. The launch of IPW in 1998 was an important international benchmark for environmentally responsible wine production. This was followed in 2004 by the establishment of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative that seeks to reserve land within the Cape Winelands for protection and rehabilitation to indigenous habitat.

“From this year’s harvest, producers who have been audited will be entitled to use the new seal as a visual guarantee of their commitment to environmentally-sensitive wine making,” she says.

The WSB currently runs two certification systems: Wine of Origin (WO) and IPW. For WO, a certification seal has been in existence for many years, but there has never been a seal for the much younger IPW system for sustainable, environmentally friendly production. After wide consultation it was decided to make an alternative seal, which covers both WO and IPW, available as from the 2010 harvest year.

“Linked to the existing Wine of Origin system that already guarantees the source of the grapes, their varietal and vintage, it gives a further guarantee of production integrity and sustainability.

Regular spot-checks by independent auditors are conducted to ensure these guidelines are complied with at all levels, she says, and that the production information supplied by the participants is accurate.

To date, well over 95% of the South African wine industry has been following sustainable wine-growing and wine making principles and Birch expects about 50% of the country’s producers to take the next step by making use of the new seal from the 2010 vintage. Projections are that about 80% of the industry will be able to make use of the new seal from the 2011 vintage.

As the seal will be applied exclusively to wines bottled in SA, Birch believes it should act as a disincentive to producers to bottle their wines off-shore. “Those who export in bulk will not have the benefit of an easy-to-recognise message to consumers that their wines are made with respect for the environment.”

For further information, visit www.swsa.co.za.