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PERSONALITYin abundance
The experts might be agreed on the quality of South Africa’s premium offering,
but it remains under-represented in the UK. We gathered buyers and writers at a
blind tasting to discuss how the country can up its game. By Patrick Schmitt
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in the UK, but those people who wouldseek out South Africa at premium pricesare extremely rare. “Just 3.8% of winevolumes in UK retail are sold over £10,and the shoppers buying South Africaover £10 are very specific,” he said. Athigher prices, he pointed out that mostwine drinkers “gravitate towardsBordeaux or Burgundy”. Consequently,like Walls, he stated, “There is definitelywork to be done as far as the averageconsumer is concerned to persuade themthat South Africa can produce brilliantwines over £10.”
MARKS OF DISTINCTIONBut what approach should South Africatake to raise awareness of its premiumlabels? Davies suggested the country sellits finer wines according to theirdistinctive style. “Whenever I blind tasteSouth Africa, I find it sits beautifullybetween the Old World and the NewWorld, so maybe it’s about persuadingpeople to step across to South Africa,” shesaid. However, she added that to do this,Cape producers will need to “convincethe sommelier” because, in retail,“consumers buy labels”. Rebecca Palmer,associate director at Corney & Barrow, feltthe same way: “Brands are built in the on-trade; the on-trade is the market forpremium South Africa.”
As the main representative for the on-trade at the discussion, Henry Boyes,wine buyer at Mitchells & Butler, wasasked for his view. “Wines from SouthAfrica do incredibly well at the value endbecause they are very competitivelypriced, stylistically they are on cue, andthey are packaged well. But if you ask aconsumer what is premium South Africa,I don’t think they would actually know.That is both a challenge and anopportunity,” he said. At this point, winewriter Andrew Catchpole picked up onthe possibilities presented by such asituation, stressing the favourablecircumstances for the Cape resulting from
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ACHIEVING BROAD distribution forhigh-priced labels is a challenge for manywine-producing parts of the worldbeyond those classic regions which, forany serious drinker, would trip off thetongue. But for South Africa’s finestwineries, it’s particularly puzzling thatthe UK doesn’t carry more of the Cape’scritically acclaimed output. After all,South Africa is the leading long-hauldestination for holidaying Brits, while thecountry is hardly a newcomer when itcomes to fermenting grapes; it has awinemaking history that spans more than 350 years.
It’s also proved a first-rate home forBordeaux blends, along with well-knownpopular international varieties such asSyrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay andSauvignon Blanc. And it hasn’t justmimicked the styles found among theoriginal European sources, or the newerhomes emerging for such grapeselsewhere. Rather, the Cape brings itsown stamp, which many deem a pleasingmiddle ground between the Old and New
Worlds, meaning that there’s plenty offruit, but also freshness.
So why isn’t South African wine betterrepresented above £10 in UK retailers or,indeed, at higher prices in bars andrestaurants? This was a question put to usearlier this year by Rollo Gabb, managingdirector of Journey’s End Wine Estate inSouth Africa and chairman of PremiumIndependent Wineries of South Africa(PIWOSA), which was formed in October2012 to group together 15 producers tojointly promote South African wine over£10. To give Gabb the best response, weassembled a group of wine buyers and
commentators (see box overleaf) who weknew would have plenty to say on thistopic. Nevertheless, to prompt them, wealso held a blind tasting of South Africanwines, intermingled with a few fromEurope and Australia, before sitting them down to lunch courtesy of London’sQuo Vadis.
Initially, Tesco wine buyer for SouthAfrica James Griswood expressed hisconfidence in the quality of wines fromthe Cape at higher price points. “My ownperspective is that South Africa makesfantastic wine over £10,” he said, adding,“there are a lot of exciting wines thatcustomers buying wine at that pricewould be more than happy with.” Headsommelier at Selfridges, Dawn Davies,was quick to agree with Griswood,commenting, “I have just increased ourSouth African wine range by 50%, if notmore, because I think it is one of the mostexciting countries in the premiumcategory at the moment.”
Similarly, Oddbins wine buyer AnaSapungiu expressed her high regard for
South African wine over £10, aswell as the commercialopportunity. “We introduced aselection of more premium SouthAfrican wines 18 months ago andit surprised me to find that all ofthem performed really well, andso there’s room to have more.”Meanwhile, at Berry Bros &Rudd, Martin Hudson MW, winebuyer for the historic UK winemerchant, recorded, “Due to thelack of success of below-parBordeaux vintages and morechallenging Burgundy harvests,
the Berry Bros fine wine team has had tothink about what else to sell, so we’ve justhad a premium South African offer.” Andthe result? Hudson said, “It was at leastas successful as our recent Italian offer”.
Another panel member, wine writerMatt Walls, said he has observed a respectfor South Africa among commentators.“Bloggers and the press are reasonablybehind South Africa at higher pricepoints, and PIWOSA has done a good job;now the real battle is changing theattitude of the UK consumer,” he said.
At this point, Griswood warned that notonly were there few fine wine consumers
I have just increasedSelfridges’ South African wine
range by 50%, if not more,because it is one of the most
exciting countries in thepremium category
Our assembled wine buyers andcommentators took part in a blind tasting
of South African wines alongside somefrom Europe and Australia
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blends from old vines. Walls agreed:“Swartland has a bit of a vibe about it, itis a bit of a brand, with a bit ofpersonality”. Continuing, he said, “Fortoo many consumers, South Africa issimply South Africa: regionality givesthem something to be interested in.”
But Hudson stressed the importance ofindividual tales surrounding regions andthe wines within them. “It’s about stories,not about saying that this is the greatestwine in the world, but this is the story.”Griswood added that while this was true,it would require the full force of SouthAfrica’s articulate, characterfulwinemakers to be effective: “You have anopportunity as a group because yourepresent a lot of different regions, butyou must use personalities to sell it, buildthe region around yourselves.” Sapungiuexpressed the same view, commenting,“The producers should get across themessage more about themselves, whattheir story is, what they do differently.There are plenty of great personalities in South Africa and this should reach the consumer.”
Summing up, Griswood stressed thatthe combination of a good story and astrong personality will be the route forSouth Africa’s premium wine success,particularly considering the complexity ofthe Cape’s vinous offering – somethingwhich the panelists believed should becelebrated, not sidelined. db
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Bordeaux’s poor recent en primeurcampaigns, the strengthening of theAustralian dollar, and the weakening ofSouth Africa’s currency. “The opportunitypresents itself now for premium SouthAfrica – and that’s because of what’shappening to Bordeaux, and because ofthe currency in Australia, as well as therand in South Africa.”
For Palmer, the Cape could also benefitfrom the shortage in the supply of finewine from Burgundy: “There is noBurgundy, producers’ cellars are empty,and that’s the perfect excuse, but youneed to give people a hook.” Continuing,she said, “People know what premiumArgentina does, or what Burgundy orBordeaux do, but I don’t think they knowwhat South Africa does.”
Walls concurred. “What is the USP ofpremium South Africa? I have trouble
answering that question.” Hudson offeredone solution. “South Africa should have aflag bearer, like Australia has Grange, orNew Zealand has Cloudy Bay: a wine thatis recognised around the world. But otherthan Vin de Constance, which is prettyrecherché, there isn’t one from SouthAfrica,” he said. Griswood suggestedSouth Africa’s extensive winemaking past
would help convince drinkers ofthe Cape’s premium credentials.“When I do tastings withcustomers and I take themthrough the history of SouthAfrican wine, they are alwaysamazed,” he stated. Here, Boyessuggested the need to promoteregional differences to sell SouthAfrica wine over £10, andHudson agreed, saying, “Youneed to take a regional route,otherwise it all becomes oneamorphous mass”.
TELLING STORIESAlthough there was some concern thatnot all South African regions havedeveloped a particular personalitycentred on any one variety, Griswood saidthis was not a barrier. “Take people on ajourney – it’s exciting – rather thanpresenting a finished product. Forexample, the excitement of the Swartlandrevolution,” he said, referring to the movefrom bulk wine production to boutique
People know what premiumArgentina does, or what
Burgundy or Bordeaux do, but Idon’t think they know what
South Africa does
The panellists were full of praise forSouth Africa’s premium wine, but said itsproducers need to sell themselves better
to consumers and create a USP
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The producers should get across the message moreabout themselves, what their story is, what they dodifferently. There are plenty of great personalities
Bruce Jack, The DriftGary Jordan, Jordan Wine EstateAndrea Mullineux, Mullineux FamilyWinesPaul Cluver, Paul Cluver WinesRollo Gabb, Journey’s EndKen Forrester, Ken Forrester WinesAdam Mason, Mulderbosch
In attendance from PIWOSAwere the followingpersonalities:
James Griswood, wine buyer, Tesco Rebecca Palmer, associate director,Corney & Barrow Dawn Davies, head sommelier,SelfridgesMatt Walls, wine writer, author andbloggerAndrew Catchpole, wine writerHenry Boyes, wine buyer, Mitchells &ButlerMartin Hudson MW, wine buyer,Berry Bros & RuddAna Sapungiu, wine buyer, Oddbins
The event drew the followingpanel of respected buyers fromUK retailers and commentators:
(* denotes the favoured wine in eachflight. If both wines have stars, theyreceived the same number of votes fromthe panellists)
CHENIN BLANCKen Forrester Chenin Blanc, SouthAfrica 2000*Beaumont Hope Marguerite, SouthAfrica 2009
CHARDONNAYDomaine Jacques Prieur, PulignyMontrachet Premier Cru Les Combettes,Burgundy, France 2009Journey’s End Destination Chardonnay,South Africa 2012*Mulderbosch Barrel FermentedChardonnay, South Africa 2010
SYRAHRadford Dale ‘Nudity’ Syrah, SouthAfrica 2013Mullineux Syrah, Swartland, SouthAfrica 2012*Ben Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz, BarossaValley, Australia 2012*
BORDEAUX BLENDSMvemve Raats de Compostella, SouthAfrica 2012Château Reverence, St Émilion GrandCru, Bordeaux, France 2009Jordan Cobblers Hill, South Africa 2011*
PINOT NOIRNewton Johnson Family VineyardsPinot Noir 2012*The Drift ‘There are still mysteries’Pinot Noir 2012*Paul Cluver Pinot Noir 2012
Wines served blind at the event included:
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