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From the Source

Spring Competition For Producers - Winners Announced

We're pleased to announce the winners of our Spring Competition as unanimously chosen by a panel of judges from Wines of South Africa (WOSA), the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) and World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA)... more »

Whale tales

As I write this, there is a Southern Right whale pottering around in the False Bay sea less than 50 metres from the rocks... more »

Video Clips

Lomond Wines and Fynbos

Lomond (in the Cape Agulhas district) is located a mere 30km from the southern tip of Africa, in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. In this film, owner and winemaker Wayne Gabb explains the link between the wines they... more »

Delheim Wines' organic waste-water recycling system

In this clip from Wine Films, General Manager and Viticulturist Victor Sperling explains their latest project... more »

Cape Dwarf Chameleons at Jordan

The second of our clips from Winefilms. Researchers from the South Africa National Biodiversity Institute have completed a ground-breaking study, which found that the Cape Dwarf Chameleon prefers to live in the shrubs and bushes that surround a vineyard, rather... more »

Biodiversity at Cederberg Cellars

This is the first of a series of clips that showcase biodiversity in action. Pieter du Toit introduces us to the biodiversity project being implemented at Cederberg Cellars, which has been an integral part of the Cederberg Conservancy for over... more »

Chameleons and vineyards in the Western Cape of South Africa

Is automated grape harvesting a threat to the Cape Dwarf Chameleon? A report by Krystal Tolley and John Measey of the SA National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) just out discusses just this with the conclusion that vineyards are not optimal habitat... more »

Baboons at Oak Valley

Here's Pieter Visser, the winemaker from Oak Valley in Elgin, in a short clip talking about baboons raiding the vineyards. Your thoughts?... more »

Producer Pics

LEUCOSPERMUM PROSTRATUM - PIC FARM 215

A ground-hugging pincushion, it shows itself during the first years after fire and disappears again when and where taller bushes smother it after a few years, only to come back again after the next fire. Coastal, between Kogelberg and Elim hills.

Red data species: vulnerable (IUCN red data list) www.farm215.co.za

Posted on 16 August 07 | |

WATSONIA STENOSIPHON - PIC FARM 215


A species restricted to the southern Overberg between Hermanus and Potberg and the first Watsonia to be in flower (as from Aug to Oct).

www.farm215.co.za

Posted on 16 August 07 | |

Western Leopard Toad - pic Farm 215


Western Leopard Toad. Red data species, only occuring on Cape peninsula in some little corners and around Gansbaai.

www.farm215.co.za

Posted on 11 August 07 | |

WOSA team visits Mooiplaas


Tielman Roos, viticulturist at Mooiplaas, took the entire international Wines of South Africa team on a hike through the renosterveld (indigenous vegetation translating as rhinoceros bush) on his farm last week. Tielman has cleared this land of alien, water-guzzling vegetation and set it aside for conservation. He was the first producer to join the BWI initiative. It is pretty grey at the moment but in spring the land comes alive when the bulbs flower. But even in summer, once you start walking, the veld is fascinating. Mooiplaas vineyards are in the background, and after the hike, our team tasted the wines in the unusual tasting room built in the very old stables. The tasting tables are the old feeding troughs. Fabulous!

Su Birch
CEO
Wines of South Africa
8 Helderberg Road
Stellenbosch 7599
Tel +27 (0)21 883 3860
Fax +27 (0)21 883 3861
www.wosa.co.za

Posted on 6 December 06 | |

Steenbuck in Cloof vineyard


A regular visitor to our vineyards, a steenbuck looks a little startled at

Cloof, in Darling.

Posted on 17 November 06 | |

Species Diversity in Iona's Vineyards


At Iona Wines we take biodiversity seriously.

Here is a shot of natural fynbos growing among young vines.

Posted on 12 October 06 | |

Giant carnivorous plant at Iona Wines


Growing in the cool fynbos area in which Iona's vineyards florish is this red data book plant named roridula gorgonis. It is carnivorous and has a symbiotic relationship with a small bug.

Posted on 10 October 06 | |