Wine of Origin System in South Africa

* This Scheme is applicable to this cultivar only until 31 December 2010.

**This name (Riesling) may only be used for wine produced from the Crouchen grape cultivar until, and inclusive of, the 2009 grape harvest.

***This name (Riesling) may only be used for wine produced from the Weisser Riesling/ Rhine Riesling grape cultivar as from the 2010 grape harvest.

Vintage

With time, changes take place in a wine and therefore the age of a wine, with specific reference to vintage, can serve as a guide to another aspect of its character. 

The vintage which appears on the label of a wine confirms that at least 85% of the content of that bottle is from that specific claimed year. Vintage may only be indicated on a label if the wine is certified by the Wine and Spirit Board.

Certification as a guarantee to the public

A certification seal is a guarantee to the public that the claims made on the label are true and the wine was of good quality when cerfitied. A wine can only be certified when when all requirements of the wine of origin scheme are met i.e.  origin (eg Paarl), cultivar (eg Riesling) and vintage (eg 1997), the wine is also evaluated by one of the tasting panels of the Board and samples of all wines are also scientifically analysed to determine whether all the legal requirements have been met.

If a claim is to be made on origin, cultivar or vintage, a wine has to be certified. A certification seal is put on the packaging of such wine, confirming that while being evaluated by the Board the wine was of good quality and that any claims made on the label were checked and are truthful. 

Strict control is administered when a producer wants to certify a particular wine. Through an identification number on each certification seal, all information, from the pressing of the grapes, through the wine making process, to the certification of the final product, can be established. Control is exercised at the following stages: when an application is made to press grapes, during pressing, blending and bottling, and also when the preliminary and final approval is given.

During censorial evaluation to have the wines certified, the judges look for the following possible unacceptable quality characteristics:

Clarity

Wine is not brilliant as it contains suspended particles or sediment, or excessive crusting has taken place and it can be described as slightly turbid.

Colour

With regard to age, cultivar and type of wine, it has:

· Too much colour

· Faulty colour

· Insufficient colour

Flavour

With regard to age, cultivar or type of wine:

· Has no or insufficient recognisable wine flavour.

· Reveals so much wood character that it dominates the wine flavour.

· Has an insufficient or faulty cultivar character.

· Has an undesirable flavour (eg sulphuric compounds, oxidised, phenolic,

geranium, volatile acidity, ethyl acetate, sulphur dioxide, cork, filtering material,

oil, paint, mould, etc).

· Has the character of an over-matured wine.

· Has an excessively sharp spirit or brandy flavour.

· Does not display the required distinctive flavour.

Taste With regard to age, cultivar or type, the wine:

· Has no or insufficient recognisable taste, it can be described as watery

· Reveals so much wood character that it dominates its recognisable taste.

· It is too astringent: press must, stalk or husk character dominate its taste.

· Has an insufficient or faulty cultivar character.

· Has an undesirable taste (eg too acidic, too harsh, too bitter, or that of sulphuric compounds, oxidised, phenolic, geranium, volatile acidity, ethyl acetate, sulphur dioxide, cork, filtering material, ethyl acetate,

oil, paint, mould, etc).

· Has the character of an over-matured wine.

· Does not display the required distinctive taste.

Label Requirements

The label committee has to approve all labels before they can be used on certified wines as prescribed by regulations.

All compulsory particulars such as the class name, alcohol content, name and address or code number of the responsible seller, the origin appellation or the name of the geographical unit has to appear in the same visual field on one or more labels of a bottle of wine. Click HERE to see details of information which must appear on the label.  

Compulsory information must be clearly distinguished from other information on the label. The following information may only be used with regard to the selling of wine if the Wine of Origin Scheme authorises it:

· The name of the area which is defined as a unit for the production of estate 
  wine, ward, district, region or geographical unit.

· Names of grape cultivars.

· The indication of vintage.

· The words ‘estate’, ‘vineyard’, ‘origin’ and ‘vintage’.

· The term ‘Wine of Origin’.

SOURCE:SAWIS