43rd Sasev Conference draws attention to local expertise and explores importance of natural wine for growth

This year marks the 43rd year in which the annual Conference for the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture (SASEV) will take place at Klein Joostenberg, Stellenbosch. The South African Society for Enology and Viticulture (SASEV) was founded in 1977 to serve as a forum for presenting the latest technical and scientific information to all South African wine and grape producers to improve the quality of South African table grapes, dried grapes, wines and related products.

The conference has the theme “Homegrown Knowledge: Exploring the Impact of Local Research on a Global Scale” and will showcase the latest research and innovations in grapevine and wine sciences, sensory and consumer sciences and market-related knowledge. Drawing attention to the latest knowledge in the field, presentations will position the South African research community as thought leaders with global impact. “For the first time, the Organising Committee decided to formulate a theme for the annual SASEV Conference to blow new life and relevance into this prestigious event that, during COVID and lockdown, could only be offered as an online version,” said SASEV President Tarryn Wettergreen.

A workshop offering a tasting experience, practical insights and a thought-provoking debate will re-invigorate interest as we tackle the topic “Natural Wine, what is it and does it make other wine unnatural?” The Thursday afternoon workshop will consist of a roundtable format, facilitated by Professor Florian Bauer from the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute (SAGWRI) in conversation with panellists such as Craig Hawkins, Johan Reyneke, David Clarke, together with video inputs from Doctor Jamie Goode, a widely published and award-winning wine writer from the UK, who also holds a PhD in plant biology. Professor Maret du Toit, panel convenor and Vice President of SASEV, remarks that definitions for natural wine are different everywhere, and even though times are challenging for the global wine industry, the consumer demand seems to be increasing rapidly, especially with Millenial and Gen Z consumers. “We will debate and attempt to consolidate and respect different views to arrive at a joint definition for South Africa, followed by an illustrative tasting and discussion of the future role of tasting panels and quality criteria.” She said further observing that recent empirical research in Europe indicates increases in ‘natural wine’ consumption yet confirmed that there is confusion between what is natural, organic and biodynamic among these consumers and even producers. Furthermore, these studies corroborate the idea that the importance of naturalness varies across cultures and countries and points to the potential for further investigative research in South Africa.

The 43rd SASEV Conference is hosted by SASEV in collaboration with SAGWRI of Stellenbosch University, ARC and several other wine bodies are involved as sponsoring partners, including Fermentis by Lessafre, SAWINE, Anchor Oenology, Amorim Cork, Laffort and Lallemand. It takes place at Klein Joostenberg on 13 and 14 September 2023, and tickets are priced reasonably at R920 for SASEV members and R1 320 for non-members, whilst students pay R520 only – all for the fully inclusive two-day package. Individual tickets for the Workshop only on 14 September at 2 pm are priced at R350.

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DATE: 23 AUGUST 2023
ISSUED BY: NOLENE NEL FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR ENOLOGY AND VITICULTURE
QUERIES: NOLENE NEL PROJECT MANAGER, 082 5200 697, nolenenel@icloud.com