Fives wines from the Tukulu range will feature South Africa’s recently introduced ethical seal. These are its 2009 unwooded Syrah, 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 and 2010 Pinotage, 2011 organic Chardonnay and 2012 Chenin Blanc.
Granted by the Wine and Agricultural Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) for complying with its code of good conduct, Tukulu is amongst the first to display the seal. The ethical seal, believed to be a world-first among wine-producing countries, is based on rigorous auditing of WIETA’s code of good conduct. It confirms that fair labour practices are followed by the producer.
Tukulu is one of eight wine brands currently authorised to display the fully traceable seal. The seal is granted to individual wines, rather than to wine brands, as many producers source their grapes from multiple growers.
To be eligible for accreditation, brand owners have to identify all their suppliers, the majority of whom must be WIETA-accredited. With the exception of its 2009 and 2010 Pinotage and its 2011 organic Chardonnay, all the Tukulu wines featuring the seal are also Fairtrade-accredited. When consumers buy a wine that features the Fairtrade label, they are actively contributing to the social development of farm workers as a percentage of the sale of these wines go to the community.
The grapes for Tukulu wines are sourced from the Papkuilsfontein farm near Darling which is an empowerment venture between Distell and a group of black entrepreneurs from Gauteng and a local community trust.
Established in 1998, it was one of the first empowerment projects of the South African wine industry.
