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Integrity & Sustainability Certified
What does this label on the neck of a wine bottle mean?
The seal on the neck of the bottle, often called the bus ticket by South African winemakers, means it has been certified by the Wine & Spirits Board and the seal guarantees the trustworthiness of all information relating to origin, cultivar and vintage as stated on the label.
So what does this really mean?
This seal means that the Wine and Spirit Board, appointed by the Department of Agriculture, certifies that
- The vintage, variety and origin that are shown on the label are correct.
- The wine has been produced sustainably, in an earth-friendly manner.
- The wine can be traced all the way from the vine to the bottle.
- It was bottled in South Africa – so it is 100% South African!
Members are audited annually to ensure standards are regulated and consistent.
The vintage, variety and origin that are shown on the label are correct.
The vintage is the year that the grapes were harvested to make the wine. The variety is the cultivar of the grapes used to make the wine. As an example, for a white wine, this could be Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay and for a red wine it could be Shiraz, Pinotage or Cabernet Sauvignon. A minimum of 85% of the cultivar must be used to be able to call it a single varietal wine. The origin is the area where the grapes are grown and all the grapes used must originate from the stated region.
The wine has been produced sustainably, in an earth-friendly manner.
Although it is very labour intensive to produce wines in an eco-friendly manner, it promotes sustainable farming for the future. The South Western Cape area where most of our grapes are produced is one of the world’s greatest centres of terrestrial biodiversity. Farmers are committed to restoring the land as the Cape Floral Kingdom, home to the famous Fynbos vegetation, is a world heritage site. In doing this, no herbicides and pesticides are used. Likewise, minimal machinery is used as the land is tilled by hand, vines are pruned by hand and grapes are harvested by hand. Combined, this ensures a kinder approach to managing the environment and supports job creation.
The wine can be traced all the way from the vine to the bottle.
Unique to every bottle of certified wine, is a 10-digit number on the label. If you go to the SAWIS (SA Wine Industry Information and Systems) website and search this reference number, the information on the bottle is verified with more information about the wine is provided. This protects you, the consumer, as just as you want to know what ingredients are in the food you eat and how it is produced, you also want assurance that you know is in the wine you drink.
It was bottled in South Africa – so it is 100% South African
As a major wine producing country, we are all proudly South African. This has relevance for local or international consumption, as it confirms that the contents originate from our beautiful country.
Val di terra