Bosman Family Vineyards - Caring for the community and the environment

The eight-generation, 200-year history of Bosman Family Vineyards is in itself a story of sustainability. To date, the Bosman Adama land transformation transaction in 2007 is the largest land reform deal in the South African wine industry, where the workers own a 30% share in the business. Since then, this Fairtrade accredited business has grown more than 10-fold, providing job opportunities and a better standard of living to our farm community.

‘Dedicated to better’ is lived out by the continuous development on the ground, managed by a dynamic and active committee of employees.

Corporate social responsibility initiatives

• Teachers in the crèche receive continuous training by the Pebbles Project and Boland College Educare.
• Our aftercare tracks the needs of each child, and provides support and stimulation.
• Psychometric testing helps our high school learners make good choices for their futures.
• Learners receive personal assistance in applying online for tertiary education.
• Funds are channelled into education, transport and sport to create opportunities for development.
• Adults are given opportunities for advancement from literacy classes, vocational skills training to management coaching.

Conservation efforts

• We use animals instead of chemicals for pest control.
• Instead of using chemical fertilisers, we brew our own compost tea which, when applied, enriches the soil and creates a diversity of micro-organisms that allows for the sequestering of carbon.
• We have created eco corridors which allow beneficial insects and plants the ability to multiply and migrate.
• We practice water stewardship by using gravity-fed, drip irrigation instead of overhead sprinklers.
• Cover crops are planted between the vineyards to sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, diminish water evaporation, prevent erosion and fix nitrogen in the soil.

Commitment to quality

Our commitment to quality drives our control of the entire process.

• As both a vine grafting nursery and a wine producer, we are involved in the entire process from vine to wine. Our Plant Improvement Facility ensures we provide healthy plant material for clear varietal character.
• As experienced vine growers we plant varietals that suit the terroir of our region.
• Our grapes are hand-picked by a community who has lived and worked on our farm for multiple generations. They know what they’re doing and are irreplaceable by machines.
• We encourage our customers to drink better wine, not more wine. Our provenance and traceability reflect that commitment to quality and longevity.

Healthy soils + healthy vines + healthy grapes + a clean cellar = minimalistic winemaking of naturally good quality wines that express their terroir and varietal character.

There are plenty of good news stories about upliftment and transformation in the South African wine industry. The #wineforgood website, launched by wine.co.za in June 2016, hosts all the positive stories from the winelands, of which there are plenty. wine.co.za has made April a focus for #wineforgood stories. Share them far and wide and spread the good news about South African wine. If you'd like to submit a story, please email editor@wine.co.za.