WINE
A Rosé by any other name
Local labels you've never heard of, which countries drink what and who SA should be selling to Richard Holmes does a deep dive into the export wine market
Even if you’re a committed wine collector, chances are you’ve never bought a bottle of Lesca chardonnay, or sipped on Star Tree Nouveau Rouge. Ever poured a glass of Foot of Africa shiraz, Cleefs Classic Collection chenin blanc or Helter Skelter pinot noir? Unless you’re stocking a cellar in Stockholm, Amsterdam or Shanghai, it’s unlikely you’ve even heard of them. For these are just a handful of the wine brands, absent from local shelves, which are being poured into global markets by SA wine producers. It’s good business too, with just north of R9bn in wine exported from our shores each year. But why rebrand, I wondered over a bottle of Cederberg shiraz recently. Where’s the value in creating another label for overseas markets? What’s wrong with the wine range sold on local shelves? Why dilute your own brand loyalty? What about costs, the ballooning stock-keeping units, and the added supply chain complexity?
The wine business seems straightforward: grow some grapes, ferment t...
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