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Wine of Origin or W.O. is the official appellation system of South Africa, originally introduced in 1972. The W.O. system certifies the origin of wines, as well as their composition in the case of "varietal" wines (bearing only the name of a varietal on their label).
Four types of Wine of Origin appellations can be found on South African wine labels, depending of the area they cover. From largest to smallest, they are:
- Geographical Units -- broadest wine regions. There are only three: Western Cape, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
- Regions -- broader wine regions.
- Districts -- small wine regions containing several types of soils and climates.
- Wards -- distinctive area with a distinctive soil and climate.
The following two indications can also be mentioned on wine labels:
- Single Vineyard -- means the wine comes from from a defined area of less than 5 hectares (12 acres)
- Estate Wine -- means the wine comes from adjacent farms and has been produced on-site.
edit Certification authority
The Wine and Spirit Board is responsible for the South African Wine of Origin appellation system, in accordance with the provisions of the Liquor Products Act of 1989, which replaced the previous Act of 1957.
Appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, the Wine and Spirit Board consists of 12 members, including four "primary" wine producers, four producing wholesalers, two Department of Agriculture officials, as well as two wine and viticultural research officials, nominated by the Agricultural Research Council. An independent chairman is also appointed.
edit Selection criteria
A wine labeled as Wine of Origin must be 100% made of grapes grown in the indicated area.
In the case of "varietal" wines (bearing only the name of a varietal on the label), they must contain at least 85% of the named variety (75% before 2006).
About 75 varieties are currently approved for WO wines.
edit See also
