THE newly elected chairman and vice-chairman of the Chenin Blanc Association, Ken Forrester and Jeff Grier, have launched an appeal to save old Chenin Blanc vines in South Africa.
Explaining the reasons behind this initiative, Ken Forrester says that it will add to revenue in the wine industry.
“Chenin Blanc is the single most important cultivar for the South African wine industry. It accounts for 30% of white wine and almost 20% of total production.
“By increasing consumption of quality Chenin Blanc we believe that we can add over R250 million of revenue to the South African wine industry.
“Quality Chenin Blanc mostly comes from older bush vines so we want to save these old vines from being pulled out.
“By doing this the primary producer will get paid more, the brand owner can produce better quality wines, and the consumer gets more choice of better quality Chenin Blanc wines.”
The CBA will run this project in conjunction with Sawis, CBA members and primary producers, as they attempt to seek out and identify these old vines.
“Our end goal is to preserve these vines so buyers of quality Chenin can use them to uplift the Chenin and South African wine category,” reiterated Forrester.
The CBA programme for 2009 takes in Dusseldorf, London, Gauteng, and Cape Town. Food and wine features heavily at the various events (see www.chenin.co.za).
