Anxious
to damp down the flames occasioned by accusations that the use
of artificial flavourings was rampant in some sectors of the South
African wine industry (see last report in wine
news), the authorities are making a big noise about
the draconian measures they are taking during the current 2004
harvest. Here's their report:
With the 2004 harvest just beginning, the South African wine
industry has started an extensive testing programme covering all
the Cape’s wine growing districts to monitor for the possible
use of added flavourants in Sauvignon blanc, confirmed SA Wine
& Spirit Board management committee chairman Jakob Deist.
Although flavourants do not in any way pose a health risk to consumers,
it is illegal to use them to enhance the character of wines.
Teams of inspectors from the Wine & Spirit Board are arriving
unannounced at wineries across the Cape, drawing samples of grape
juice, which will be compared with the finished wines, to check
for any inconsistencies in the level of certain methoxypyrazines
responsible for the typical green pepper (capsicum)/herbaceous
flavours in Sauvignon blanc.
Deist said the levels of 2-Methoxy-3-isobutyl pyrazine (iBMP)
found in the finished wines should match those in the grape juice.
This procedure for testing had been established on the basis of
the findings of a two-year research study, implemented when certain
Sauvignon blancs had shown what appeared to be atypical flavour
characteristics in relation to their place of origin.
Cooler growing climates are generally associated with higher iBMP
levels and grassy, green flavours, whereas warmer wine-growing
regions are associated with lower iBMP levels and tropical flavours.
The research, begun in 2001, two years before any public allegations
of wrongdoing, had set out to detail the flavour profiles found
in specific wine-growing conditions to provide a measure against
which inconsistencies could be examined.
Deist said the current testing involved wineries across the spectrum,
from the major corporates and cellars to mid-sized, as well as
boutique and garagiste producers. “It is essential we monitor
all levels of producers in all regions to send out a message to
any potentially errant producers that no illegal winemaking practices
will be tolerated.
“We view the allegations that some wineries could be guilty
of using added flavourants in an extremely serious light and we
have gone to great lengths to develop the parameters in which
wineries can be tested.”
He said any irregularities discovered would be followed by forensic
audits at wineries involved, where not only the suspected wines
would be examined but the entire Sauvignon blanc production.
If found guilty of using additives, producers could be criminally
prosecuted under South African law and prevented from having their
wines certified. Certification is required before any wine can
be labelled for variety, vintage year or origin.
The findings of the research project, led by a team from ARC
Infruitec-Nietvoorbij under Dr Johann Marais on behalf of Winetech,
the research arm of the SA Wine & Brandy Company (SAWB), had
just been published (February), said Deis - and are available
at
www.wynboer.co.za/recentarticles/0204sauvignon.php3.
These findings have also been made available to wine-producing
EU member countries to assist their own eradication of the use
of flavourants.
SAWB CE Dr Johan Van Rooyen said his organisation was fully behind
the testing. “We welcome all moves that reaffirm the integrity
of the South African wine industry.”
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