Up my nose

Bernhard Veller, owner-winemaker of Nitida, is upset by the negativism of (mostly) wine-critics

I guess it comes from years of being told you are not OK that, as an industry, we seem to feel the need to live out the paradigm, especially in the public domain.

We are spoilt with enormous diversity of terroir, style and approach. Our young winemakers are talented, enthusiastic and confident. They know that we can and do make wines that stand-up with the best in the world. However, if we want to be winning international players, we, as an industry, still need to assume a winning culture.

We have to trust in our industry's individuality, worth and identity. We must all nurture, enjoy and affirm it. We have to separate ourselves, our feelings of self-worth, our egos, from the industry, and be unified in voice and vision as we live out our faith in its potential.

So I am disappointed when I hear and read commentary by individuals seeking to earn social mileage out of negativism and drama. Where people who make their living off the success of the wine industry feel the need to equate sauvignon blanc, even at its best, with a woman 'you'd spend half an hour with in a back alley' or who climb on the band-wagon of negativity with headlines like 'more ho-hum than humdinger'. I am confused and saddened by their lack of respect for the variety, for the winemakers who take care and pride in making it, and for consumers who have voted it one of the most sought-after wines in South Africa.

Who gains from suchlike comments? Here is a cultivar with which we have illustrated our international competitiveness - and here we are telling consumers they are wine plebs if they drink it, and winemakers not to waste their time and effort. If you are unable to divorce yourself from a strong prejudice, do not like a cultivar, style, area or winemaker, wouldn't it be more constructive for the industry to withdraw yourself from commenting on it?

What makes a very influential wine critic, who has never made a barrel of wine himself or felt the pressure of having to sell one, feel the need to lecture a young winemaker on the 'problems' of her Cabernet in public at a busy wine-show? It just served to shame her, embarrass anyone within earshot - and, frankly, make him look like pompous and uncaring. I can only conclude that this person is not concerned for the industry he serves as much as he is aware of how he is perceived. Or maybe he is just unaware of how much influence he has and how much lasting damage this kind of commentary can cause.

Yes, individuals do have a right to their opinion, there is always room for improvement and learning, but there is a time and place to voice it constructively.

Veritas defended
Then we get those who run down every show unless its their own. The favourite whipping horse, Veritas, is repeatedly and often inaccurately criticised. For the purpose of research our own industry requested Veritas' help in sourcing wine. Now Veritas is accused of squandering the extra bottles it asks for, for its own gain. Various cultivar bodies have, in fact, used those 'other bottles' for association tastings or research.

Veritas creates a Pinotage Blend category at the request of the Pinotage Association and the next thing it is accused of insisting that a Cape Blend be formalised, and dictating that such a blend must include a percentage of pinotage. In fact, Veritas has specifically attempted to withdraw itself from this debate.

We are happy to accept the opinion of a panel of three wine critics but moan about the Veritas panels of seven of our peers. We whine about the Veritas tasting format but forgive other shows with equally taxing schedules. When last did we praise them for what they are doing better than everyone else? - statistically cross-checking both wines and judges; collecting wines from wineries to minimise the practice of 'show modifications'; initiating many of the newer cultivar associations.

Which other show in the country cares what you think or gives you the opportunity to influence change? Veritas welcomes your involvement. How do you think the show can be improved? Get involved - don't just sit on the sidelines bleating. Every time I have made a suggestion, I have found it to be treated with respect, debated in open forum and even acted upon.

Mutual respect
Incredible diversity is a great gift to South Africa. The more tolerance we have learnt, the richer we have found ourselves. In the wine industry we have small boutique farms and corporations, hot and cool areas, fruit-driven and wood-driven styles. Arguably our 'rainbow' nature is a gift that sets us apart from other wine countries of the world and should be promoted and protected. For all of us to co-exist there has to be mutual respect. This is not encouraged when big corporations attempt to slide legislation through for their own self-enrichment at the expense of the other players. Thank-you Grape for picking up an attempt to legislate for coolers to carry noble cultivar names on their packaging. We in Durbanville nearly missed a change in legislation incorporating large tracts of completely different terroir into our ward. (Brand Durbanville obviously has more commercial value than we realised!)

My wish for our industry is that we develop a cohesive vision for ourselves, that we stop trying to model ourselves on other countries and start truly believing that we have the capacity to be the best. We have to come down hard on those individuals who seek to maintain their power bases through creating negativity and dissension, make sure we are constructive and appropriate in our criticism and comment, and nurture enthusiasm and team-work.