Recognising the rights of real riesling 27 March 2008

Wine and Spirit Board makes a move

Lovers of that great grape, riesling, have swallowed hard over the years as an imposter had held onto the name despite causing producer complications and consumer confusion, locally and abroad. The situation now is that a desperately ordinary, cheerful grape called crouchen blanc, hailing from the French Pyrenees, has hung onto the ‘Riesling’ appellation – along with its other official names, ‘Cape riesling’ and ‘South African riesling’.

There have been various attempts to get the matter brought into line with both the truth and international practice. The last of these attempts came to nothing a few years back, apparently  when the authorities were threatened with the wrath – including legal action of powerful forces with an interest in maintaining the status quo. Distell markets a Nederburg ‘Paarl Riesling’ from couchen and the best known of the usurping brands, Theuniskraal Riesling.

Late last year we reported that the Wine Industry Council, chaired by Kader Asmal, had requested the Wine and Spirit Board to look into the matter once more, and this, allied with the lobbying efforts of a small, but dedicated group of riesling fans, has apparently led to the Board asking for views on a proposal that only riesling be legally called, well, riesling.

André Matthee, Director of Regulatory Services of the Board, has circulated a request for comment. Lovers of the real thing are sure to respond vigorously. Matthee writes: ‘Can only Weisser/Rhine Riesling be called Riesling? Or should Cape Riesling also be allowed to be called Riesling? This debate has been ongoing in our industry for many a year now.' He reminds us that currently law allows that crouchen may, for the local market, be labelled as ‘Cape riesling’, ‘riesling’ or ‘crouchen’. Proper riesling must be designated as ‘weisser/Rhine riesling’ and cannot be called ‘riesling’. Ironically and rather amusingly, the opposite applies to exports.

The Wine and Spirit Board’s proposal is:

From a date to be determined (taking into account stocks, your comments, etcetera) -

(a) ‘Cape riesling’ may still be shown as ‘crouchen’, but not as ‘riesling’; and (b) ‘weisser riesling/Rhine riesling’ may be indicated as ‘riesling’.

This proposal will still not allow ‘Cape riesling’ to be exported to the European Union as such. It will have to be indicated as ‘crouchen’.

Matthee has asked for written comments on the proposal to reach him before the end of May, 2008 by one of the following means:
Fax: 021 807 6003
E-mail: matthee@wo.org.za
Post: PO Box 3, Koringberg 7312