Wine flavour 'an experiment'

2004-12-08 09:41

Nellie Brand

Cape Town - A winemaker, who was fired for doctoring wine with which he had won an award, says he's got to be strong now.

"I had 10 good years with KWV and I do not regret it, but now I have to keep my head up and be strong," said former Laborie winemaker Gideon Theron after his dismissal from KWV.

During his 10 years at Laborie, Theron's wine won several awards. The latest was the South African Young Wine show champion trophy for Sauvignon Blanc.

KWV will have to return the coveted award.

Theron and Ian Nieuwoudt, also a KWV winemaker, were dismissed after an investigation proved they had separately used illegal flavourants in their wines.

Nieuwoudt won double gold at the Veritas Awards last year for his 2003 KWV Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. He won bronze this year.

Theron said on Tuesday that he did not use a flavourant, but that he had added a grounded green pepper to the wine. He said: "No, I am not innocent", adding that it was also illegal to add the green pepper. He also admitted guilt during an internal KWV investigation, he said.

He did not want to comment, but said adding of the green pepper had nothing to do with competitions or "personal egos", but was purely experimental.

Meanwhile, Cobus Dowry, Western Cape MEC for agriculture, said on Tuesday that the incident had shrouded the wine industry in controversy, shock and disgrace.

"A disgrace such as this has the ability to cause real damage to the industry that would take years to rectify if not handled correctly."

He called on all winemakers and companies in the industry to prevent a repeat of this incident. KWV was lauded for its tough stance against the guilty winemakers.

Stiff fine

"This incident is hopefully the last one because the wine industry, which is only now starting to grow and make a name for itself in the international market, cannot afford it," Dowry said.

More than 60 000 litres of wine, worth R1m, have to be destroyed. It was the first time South African wines were found to contain illegal additives.

A person who adds illegal substances to wine under the Liquor Products Act can be fined R8 000 or a four-year prison term or both. With a second offence, the fine is R16 000 or four years or both.

The Veritas Awards and the Young Wine Show is hosted by the South African National Wine Show (SANW) under the auspices of the South African Wine and Brandy Company.

In 2002, the Laborie Sauvignon Blanc 2002 won bronze at the Veritas Awards and last year, the 2003 vintage won the award. No wines from Laborie were entered this year.

- Sake