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CAPE WINE 2015 REFLECTS NEW ERA FOR INDUSTRY
Cape Wine 2015, September's three-day showcase to the international wine fraternity has proved the most successful exhibition of its kind to date, with the number of visitors rising by 27% on the previous show.
Held every three years, this year's trade fair drew 1 900 visitors from a total of 58 countries. Delegates included retailers, sommeliers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, educators, wine critics and media who had come to meet the 350 exhibiting producers and taste their wines.
Said Siobhan Thompson, the CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA) that organised the event: "The overriding impression amongst guests was that South African wine has assumed a new level of quality and a clearly differentiated and distinctive voice. Returning visitors who have been following our progress over the years could see the impact of the extensive innovation in wine-growing and winemaking that has been taking place. They consistently remarked on how this has been translating into greater confidence amongst exhibitors, who are now more readily expressing what is uniquely South African in their wines".
In his opening address WOSA chairman Michael Jordaan also highlighted the importance of innovation when he spoke of South Africa being at a tipping point "where all the cumulative innovations in the wine industry would start showing".
It was a view that resonated with many of the delegates who had come to attend what is the largest national wine trade show in the Southern Hemisphere.
Thompson said while there had been a strong turnout from traditional markets across the European Union, especially from Germany, the UK and the Scandinavian bloc, and a larger contingent from the US and Canada than in previous years, the biggest percentage increases had come from Asia and Africa.
"Of course, that's from a lower base, but it is encouraging to see that the enthusiasm for the South African category is becoming more widespread. This will help us to expand our geographic reach and begin penetrating newer and more of the emerging markets."
Asia had been particularly well-represented, she said, with visitors coming predominantly from China, Hong Kong and Japan. Africa was represented mainly by delegates from Nigeria, Angola and Ghana, while several Brazilians were also amongst those from emerging markets.
She said the mix of delegates had afforded exhibitors very good access to influencers and decision makers. Naas Erasmus, Distell's commercial director for international wines and one of the biggest exhibitors on the show, concurred.
She added that the support of the Department of Trade & Industry in bringing guests to the show had also contributed to its success.
Michael Franz, a US-based wine editor, critic, educator and consultant to the restaurant trade, praised South Africa's ability to offer value across a spectrum of wine prices and styles. "No other country comes to mind that can as authentically straddle the divide between the old and the new worlds. You have the climatic capacity and soil diversity to make distinctive, compelling and appealing wines. South African Chardonnay retailing for US$17 is arguably the best in the world at that price."
Wine journalist and judge Christine Austin, from the UK, still South Africa's major market, echoed his sentiment, commenting on the "clear marketability of the wines on show at all price levels".
Sascha Speicher, from the authoritative Meininger group that publishes a range of wine trade titles, believes South Africa has taken "a big step forward with more exciting and individual wines". He referred to the deep structured wines produced from old vines, and also the elegant examples of Cinsaut he had encountered. "The quality is there. Now you need to bring these developments to the market."
Masamitsu Yoshino, publisher and director of Japanese specialist trade beverage magazine Wands Review was optimistic about South Africa's potential in his market. Last year, South African imports to Japan rose by 19,3% on 2013, according to Japan's Ministry of Finance. He said the country had now overtaken Germany to become the eighth biggest supplier of wine to Japan. Consumers were familiar with the popular French cultivars used by many South African winemakers and the elegance of local wines made them well suited to washoku (Japanese cuisine).
Debra Meiburg MW, who is considered one of the most influential personalities in wine and specifically a leading authority on wine in Greater China, was also upbeat about the potential for South African wine in the region.
Cape Wine's headline sponsor was leading express logistics company DHL Express, with Nampak as the show's secondary sponsor.
DATE SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
ISSUED BY DKC (DE KOCK COMMUNICATIONS)
ON BEHALF OF WOSA
QUERIES SIOBHAN THOMPSON, WOSA CEO, (021) 883 3820 or 082 828 0348
ANDRÉ MORGENTHAL, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, WOSA (021) 8833860, 082 658 3883
TESSA DE KOCK/JANI-MARI SWART, DKC (021) 422 2690,
Hoëresolusie-foto’s beskikbaar op versoek.
CAPE WINE 2015 LUI NUWE ERA IN VIR DIE BEDRYF
Die pas afgelope Cape Wine 2015, die driedaagse toonvenster vir die internasionale wyngemeenskap, was tot op hede die mees geslaagde uitstalling van sy soort, met die getal besoekers wat met 27% toegeneem het in vergelyking met sy voorganger.
Hierdie handelskou, wat elke drie jaar gehou word, het 1 900 besoekers van 58 lande gelok. Onder die afgevaardigdes was daar kleinhandelaars, sommeliers, lede van die hotelbedryf, opvoeders, wynkritici en wynmedia wat gekom het om die 350 produsente wat aan die uitstalling deelgeneem het, te ontmoet en hul wyne te proe.
Siobhan Thompson, uitvoerende hoof van Wines of South Africa (WOSA), wat die uitstalling gereël het, het gesê: “Die oorheersende indruk onder besoekers was dat Suid-Afrika se wyne ? nuwe gehaltevlak bereik het en ? eie kenmerkende identiteit ontwikkel het wat duidelik van enige ander te onderskei is. Terugkerende besoekers wat deur die jare ons ontwikkeling gevolg het, kon die impak sien van die omvattende innovasie in wingerdbou en wynmaak wat hier plaasgevind het. Hulle het deur die bank gewys op hoe hierdie ontwikkelinge tot groter selfvertroue by produsente gelei het wat nou meer geredelik uitdrukking gee aan wat uniek Suid-Afrikaans is in hul wyne.”
In sy openingstoespraak het Michael Jordaan, voorsitter van WOSA, ook die klem laat val op die belangrikheid van innovering toe hy gesê het Suid-Afrika bevind hom by die kritiese kantelpunt “waar al die kumulatiewe innovasies in die wynbedryf al sterker sal begin deurkom”.
Dit is ? mening wat gedeel is deur baie van die afgevaardigdes wat die grootste nasionale wynhandelskou in die Suidelike Halfrond kom bywoon het.
Thompson het gesê hoewel daar sterk verteenwoordiging was van tradisionele markte in die Europese Unie, veral van Duitsland, die VK en die Skandinawiese lande en ? groter groep van die VSA en Kanada as in vorige jare, was die grootste persentasietoename in die geval van Afrika en Asië.
"Dié toename is uiteraard van ? laer basis, maar dit is bemoedigend om te sien dat die geesdrif vir Suid-Afrikaanse wyne meer wydverspreid word. Dit sal ons help om ons geografiese reikwydte te vergroot en ons in staat stel om ons in nuwer en meer ontluikende markte te vestig."
Asië was veral goed verteenwoordig, het sy gesê, met besoekers hoofsaaklik van China. Hongkong en Japan. Afgevaardigdes van Afrika-lande het gekom van Nigerië, Angola en Ghana terwyl daar onder dié van ontluikende lande, verskeie Brasiliane was.
Sy het gesê die uiteenlopende herkoms van die afgevaardigdes het uitstallers uitstekende toegang tot beïnvloeders en besluitnemers gegee. Naas Erasmus, Distell se kommersiële direkteur vir internasionale wyne en een van die grootste uitstallers by Cape Wine, het met haar saamgestem.
Sy het ook gesê die steun van die Departement van Handel en Nywerheid met die bring van gaste na die uitstalling het ook tot die welslae daarvan bygedra.
Michael Franz, ? wynredakteur, -kritikus, -opvoeder en -adviseur vir die restaurant bedryf wat in die VSA gevestig is, het Suid-Afrika geloof vir sy vermoë om waarde oor ? spektrum van prys en styl te bied. “Ek kan aan geen ander land dink wat op so ? outentieke wyse die gaping tussen die Ou en Nuwe wêreld oorbrug nie. Julle beskik oor die klimaatsvermoë en grondverskeidenheid om onderskeidende, fassinerende en bekoorlike wyne te maak. Suid-Afrikaanse chardonnay wat vir US$17 verkoop, is stellig die beste ter wêreld teen daardie prys."
Die wynjoernalis en -beoordelaar Christine Austin van die VK, steeds Suid-Afrika se vernaamste mark, het Franz se mening onderskryf en verwys na “die hoë bemarkbaarheid van die wyne op die skou op alle prysvlakke”.
Sascha Speicher, van die gesaghebbende Meininger-groep wat ? verskeidenheid van wynpublikasies vir die handel uitgee, meen Suid-Afrika “het ? groot tree vorentoe gegee met meer opwindende en individuele wyne". Hy het verwys na die “intens gestruktureerde wyne gemaak van ou stokke en ook die elegante voorbeelde van cinsaut wat hy teengekom het.
"Die gehalte het julle bereik. Nou moet hierdie ontwikkelinge mark toe gebring word. "
Masamitsu Yoshino, uitgewer en direkteur van Wands Review, die Japannese spesialishandelspublikasie vir die drankbedryf, was geesdriftig oor Suid-Afrika se potensiaal in sy mark. Verlede jaar het Suid-Afrikaanse uitvoere na Japan met 19,3% teenoor 2013 gestyg, volgens die syfers van die Japannese Departement van Finansies. Hy het gesê Suid-Afrika het Duitsland verby gesteek en beklee nou die agste plek onder die wynverskaffers aan Japan. Verbruikers was vertroud met die gewilde Franse kultivars wat deur baie Suid-Afrikaanse wynmakers gebruik word terwyl die elegansie van die plaaslike wyne goed pas by washoku (Japannese kookkuns).
Debra Meiburg MW, wat beskou word as een van die mees invloedryke wynpersoonlikhede en ? voorste kenner van wyn in Groter China, was ook geesdriftig oor die potensiaal van Suid-Afrikaanse wyne in dié gebied.
Cape Wine se hoofborg was die toonaangewende logistiekmaatskappy DHL Express, met Nampak as die sekondêre borg.
DATUM 22 SEPTEMBER 2015
UITGEREIK DEUR DKC (DE KOCK KOMMUNIKASIE)
NAMENS WOSA
NAVRAE SIOBHAN THOMPSON, WOSA CEO, (021) 883 3820 of 082 828 0348
ANDRÉ MORGENTHAL, KOMMUNIKASIEBESTUURDER, WOSA (021) 8833860, 082 658 3883
TESSA DE KOCK/JANI-MARI SWART, DKC (021) 422 2690,