US distributors become missionaries for SA wine

Sales up by 62% Ray Smuts NOW THAT importer and distribution relationships have finally been sorted out in the United States, it appears that more and more Americans are foregoing the delights of Napa Valley or Burgundy for South African wines if last year’s 62% sales increase is any indication. Three years of market research by Wines of South Africa’s New York agency, drawn from results based on a large number of surveys, points to the potential for acceptance of South African wines provided they are reasonably easy to obtain. Says Wosa: “The principal constraint in getting the wine from supplier to consumer was most often the distributor. “As South Africa got its importer and distributor relationships in order the wine began finding its way to the retail shelf and onto wine lists.” It has also become evident that the distributor has been converted from being the reluctant middleman to the “ardent missionary” for South African wines in the US. When evaluated against other leading emerging wine-making countries and regions, South Africa emerged among the top three, ranking only behind Australia and Chile, an achievement that was bettered this year by pipping Chile for second place. Further research has indicated that awareness of South African wine has increased and that the market is becoming more receptive to the new South Africa.. Evidence that South Africa continues to make its mark as a producer of fine wines is borne out by at least 20 gold medals at the International Wine Challenge 2003. As South Africa continues to make inroads into the Canadian market Wosa has been wooing that country’s wine writers, most recently in a tie-up with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge where the latest vintages from the Cape winelands were extremely well received.