Organic Wines By Fiona C Phillips

The motivating factor behind the production of organic wines is to create a superior, quality wine without compromising on health and safety. In South Africa, buying these wines, whether at the source or online, means enjoying some of the world's finest wines. 

Organic farming means processing as little as possible, avoiding the refinement of raw materials, and ensuring that there are as few additives as possible. It also means that sanitation and hygiene are maintained at optimal levels on all stages of the winemaking process so that harmful pesticides do not become necessary.

So, rather than ensuring that the plants stay absolutely free of any insects, organic farmers are supporting the movement towards allowing healthful organisms to rid the vines of those that may be harmful to them. Organic vines are not particularly pristine in appearance. In fact, they are grown in a far less structured formation and are usually home to a variety of bugs and beetles.

These animals and organisms help to create a healthy ecosystem around the vine, balancing the population and ensuring a healthy plant. This actually lends itself to an even more beautiful vine as it is resplendent in its natural beauty, rather than in its very structured pruning and planting.

In this way, organic wines actually hale from a unique little ecosystem of their own. The South African sunshine and usually temperate seasons provide the ultimate conditions for prime organic wine farming.

Organic vines grow thicker and stronger, and actually yield a better quality grape than regular grapevines. This means better flavour, whether the wine is a Pinotage, Sauvignon, Shiraz, or Merlot. Many of these wines also boast an easier price tag to swallow when sourced from an organic wine farm.

Of course, organic farming is not simply about letting the vine grow without human intervention or pesticides. Farming organically includes fertilising with compost and manure and the use of cover crops, such as vetch and legumes. The organic vine acts as a host plant for the beneficial insects, who then work hard to rid the plant of harmful organisms. 

This mutually beneficial relationship is symbiotic. By stimulating the population of the beneficial insects on the vine, the vine establishes its own pest control system. The organic wine farmer will also often allow 'parcels' of specific other plants to grow near the vine so that they create patches of vegetation. These other plants then form a habitat for the indigenous plants and animals of the area, further enhancing the healthy little ecosystem.

The organic health of the soil is also of utmost importance. The best South African organic wines come from soil that is rich in beneficial life forms, manure and compost (decaying vegetation). The more healthful organisms residing within the soil, the less room there is for harmful pests and pathogens.

A wine farm that wants to embark on organic endeavours needs to submit detailed information regarding their cellar, processes, plans, and site. A qualified inspector will visit the farm and then either issue the correct certification or advise on necessary changes before certification can be granted. In terms of the processing, the inspector will gauge suitability based on ingredients, transport, and even the receiving of all equipment and products.


Organic farming in South Africa may not yet produce enough to sustain all of the wine appreciators who purchase these wines locally and abroad. However, as demand for this healthy alternative increases, wine farmers and key players in the South African wine industry will be forced to consider pursuing an organic approach.

Fiona Phillips has an M.B.A. from the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business and completed several Cape Wine Academy courses, culminating in Diploma II. Her passion for wine and her fascination for the limitless possibilities of the Internet motivated the start-up http://www.cybercellar.com
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