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IPW Workshop date set for fledgling
KZN wine industry
Nottingham Road – The steadily expanding wine industry in KwaZulu-Natal has
been bolstered by thirteen new potential winemakers ahead of an important
workshop aimed at ensuring local wine farmers comply with the best practices
that will soon become legislation.
The first ever Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) training workshop in
KwaZulu-Natal run by the Winetech organisation is aimed at ensuring that the
establishment and management of vineyards and wineries is in line with the
legislation that will come into effect in 2009.
The IPW guidelines cover sensitive issues such as water and waste management
and are aimed at ensuring sustainable, environmentally friendly
vitiviniculture.
The workshop, organised by the recently formalised KwaZulu-Natal Winegrowers
Association, will also focus on opportunities in a wide variety of
peripheral services that are key to the development of the wine industry in
the region.
The KZN Winegrowers Association has been bolstered by the signing of another
thirteen interested wine growers, keen to plant vines and initiate grape
production on the Nottingham Road region, the KZN North Coast, the Ilembe
Municipality, Mooi River and further into the Drakensberg.
Amongst those enthusiastic to get involved in expanding the wine industry
are Elan’s Mark Taylor and Mel Clark of Black Balance.
There will also be significant discussion around the growing support for the
planting of varietals such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir,
Pinotage and Shiraz, specifically for the production of high-quality
méthode champenoise wines.
The interest in establishing a significant
méthode champenoise
industry
in KwaZulu-Natal is based on the suitability of soils and the climate, as
well as the obvious tourism spin-offs that would be associated with the
premium product.
The KwaZulu-Natal Winegrowers Association was formed in January to create a
co-ordinated vehicle to provide advice and information sharing to emerging
winegrowers in the province.
The organisation offers
advice on land, collective procurement, best practise methodology, legal
issues and also plans to drive the establishment and marketing of a
KwaZulu-Natal Wine Route.
The two-day IPW workshop will be run outside Nottingham Road on Monday 11
and Tuesday 12 August. Any interested wine farmers or potential wine
producers are warmly invited to attend the workshop, and are requested to
secure their booking by telephoning (033) 266 6781.
ENDS
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