Ray Smuts
ESTABLISHING A noticeable presence in a country with a propensity for making fine wines is a tough nut to crack but South Africa has done just that in Germany.
The first quarter of this year has seen South African wine exports to Germany increase by 57% which certainly gives those charged with marketing the product cause for confidence. (South Africa sold almost ten million litres of wine to Germany last year)
Su Birch, chief executive officer of the South African Wine and Spirit Exporter's Association (SAWSEA), says the recent surge of interest in Germany was no doubt prompted by increased visibility at important trade shows such as ProWein in Dusseldorf in March and an exclusively-South African show in Mainz during May where over 350 local wines were presented to wine media and the trade.
The new focus on South African wines coincides with the German trend toward drinking more red wine. Germany has historically been a predominantly white wine producing country.
The shift toward red wines occurred during the latter half of the 1990s, largely because of the perceived health benefits, and importers are now scoring with sales of imported reds growng at a rate of about 15% a year.
Feedback is that Germans are showing a significant interest in pinotage. Says Birch:Given the wide range of styles in which this varietal is produced we should be focusing on examples of pinotage that exhibit its most typical characteristics and in this way make it more identifiable to consumers.
Copyright Now Media (Pty) Ltd
No article may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor
To respond to this article send your email to joyo@nowmedia.co.za
