Winelands mayor honoured
2005-04-14
THE mayor of the Cape Winelands District Municipality, Clarence Johnson, became the 10th non-German citizen to be accepted into the Rheingauer Wine Monastery.
Mayor Johnson received the award for outstanding services to the juice of the grape.
In his eulogy, the religious leader of that chapter, Dr Karl-Heinz Zerbe, praised the contributions made by the new member of the Wine Brotherhood.
Johnson is also general secretary of the South African Chapter of Great Capitals of Wine.
Johnson actively supports co-operation between wine-growers in Germany, and particularly in Rheingau, and South Africa. For this reason he became the owner of the key of the Rheingau Wine Monastery.
The wine monastery has made it its aim to make people more knowledgeable about wine in general and particularly the Rheingauer wine, to foster the companionship and friendship between the wine-growers and the wine-friends, to stimulate and improve viticulture and to contribute to preservation of the character of the Rheingauer wine and its reputation, explained Dr Zerbe.
As a symbol of the membership of the Rheingauer Wine Monastery, Dr Zerbe handed the new member of the Wine Monastery, the Monastery’s chain with a key on a leather strap.
Mayor Johnson said that he was honoured to receive the award on behalf of the wine industry, the wine farmers and workers of wine farms.
He further said that the forging of international relations, cooperation and networking between wine producing regions was of critical importance to increase the competitive edge for both the Cape Winelands and the Rheingau region.
He also gave his support for the continued research programme between the University of Geisenheim of Rheingau and the University of Stellenbosch.
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