Producers crow over wine bonanza

Ray Smuts GLOBAL AFICIONADOS of South African wine are about to pronounce 2003 ‘a very good year’ as producers crow over one of the finest grape harvests in many moons. Former Springbok rugby player-turned winemaker Jan Boland Coetzee, owner of Vriesenhof at Stellenbosch, goes so far as to say this could be a great vintage as well as the best harvest in 25 years. Andre Morgenthal of export marketing agency, Wines of South Africa, says this year favourable weather conditions prevailed from planting right through to harvesting l According to senior Wesgro economist Dr Anders Aeroe the rand value of Western Cape wine, beer and spirits exports increased significantly last year over 2001 - from R2 109 million to to R3 187 million of which the UK with R1 184 million was the largest contributor.