KUMALA GOING ORGANIC?

Published: 23 July, 2008

By Monty Waldin

Western Wines, owner of leading South African brand Kumala, is exploring the possibility' of an organic extension to its range. Western has agreed to buy 150,000 litres of bulk wine from Bon Cap Organic Winery in the current (2003) vintage. Bon Cap, based in the Robertson region, has 45 hectares of mainly Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Viognier vines. These obtained full organic certification in December 2002 from the German-based SGS. If the wine is good enough then it may be the start of a longer-term Kumala project,' said Western's operations director for South Africa, James Reid. However, there is no guarantee that a Kumala Organic range will appear, but we are looking into the possibilities. We will know more in the next couple of weeks, after what appears to be an excellent vintage here in the Cape draws to a close.' The family-owned Bon Cap winery has a provisional agreement to sell bulk wine from its organic grapes to Western Wines South Africa in the 2004 and 2005 vintages. Prior to 2001, Bon Cap sold its grapes to a Robertson co-operative, but in its 2002 debut vintage produced 80,000 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Syrah under the Bon Cap Organic brand.

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