SA wines stage major coup at London contest

Ray Smuts SOUTH AFRICAN wines have staged their most impressive international coup to date by capturing 25% of the trophies at the London-based International Wine and Spirits Competition - by far the largest winning tally. This heartening result was announced last week at the biennial international trade exhibition Vinexpo in Bordeaux, a must for leading wine producers from all major producing countries as well as major wine critics and buyers. Wine of South Africa’s Su Birch is confident the country’s outstanding performance will help push up average retail prices for South African wines sold in foreign markets. The average retail price paid for a South African wine in the UK last year was £3,60 - lower than for wines from New Zealand, Australia and California. “These trophy wins communicate a very clear message that South Africa is able to compete very effectively at the highest end of the spectrum and not only within the value sector. “This is the first occasion we have outshone our co-contestants so dramatically and we have done so before some of the most influential players in the international wine arena.”