Great news for wine tourists is that Bosman Hermanus in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, has just been selected as the winner in the Best of Wine Tourism & Ambassador Awards, in the category: ‘Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices’, a competition run by Great Wine Capitals Global Network.
An international organisation, the Great Wine Capitals Global Network aims to heighten the wine experience for everyone who visits its regions and cities, and to support their members themselves to make the most of their extraordinary culture, heritage and geographical virtue. Wesgro administers some of its activities locally, and played an integral role in adjudicating the competition that received a whopping 119 entries in seven categories.
Bosman Adama owns several wine farms near Wellington, while their farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde was acquired in 2001 to grow grapes that thrive in a cool climate. This farm, Bosman Hermanus, comprises 170 hectares, but only 50 hectares are under vine. Another 15 hectares is used to farm fynbos species commercially while the remaining 100-odd hectares is under conservation management.
As a WWF Conservation Champion, great effort is taken to farm sustainably on Bosman Hermanus, and their tourist offering echoes that philosophy. While the clearing of water-hungry aliens is an ongoing project,these trees are chipped and dispersed as mulch in the vineyards. Cover crops are also sown in between the vineyard rows to fix nitrogen and aerate the soil. These are mown flat in spring to add to the mulch cover.
The tasting room, called Frame House, is a light wood and iron structure designed to make minimal impact on the environment. The modern interior is designed to encourage the visitor to look out and enjoy views of the fynbos and lush vineyards while enjoying wines that reflect this pristine terroir, paired with locally sourced artisanal food. Hiking trails and sustainability-driven workshops further enhance the messages of biodiversity and conservation.
“At Bosman Hermanus we believe that conserving our natural environment is integral to the sustainability of our community, and that the responsibility for pro-active care rests with each one of us,” says Brand Manager Carla Bosman. “As vine growers for generations, we have a heritage of sustainability. But we also have a responsibility to future generations, and that’s where innovation comes in. We are constantly looking at new ways to make our farm more sustainable and to encourage our visitors to do this same.
“Our land and the people on it are linked. We rely on each other to survive, yet to thrive, we need to regenerate. We need to find new ways of conserving what we have, but also to progress and improve on all fronts. That is our passion.”
This award comes hot on the heels of the week-long CapeWine International Conference which saw wine writers, retailers, sommeliers and wine business owners from all over the world flocking to the Western Cape to experience all aspects of the industry and sample our wines.
The theme for CapeWine was ‘Sustainability 360’ and so Bosman Adama participated in several seminars and hosted farm visits arranged around this topic. “This award gives us another valuable platform from which to spread news of our sustainability initiatives and encourages us to continue to find new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and regenerate our soils.”
Visit bosmanhermanus.com to view their wines and book your visit.