Wine exporters plan R7-m mega-tasting

RAY SMUTS THIS SIMPLY has to be one of the South African wine industry’s boldest and most decisive initiatives to date; a R7 million spend to showcase the country’s finest to several hundred wine buyers in London next month. The ‘mega-tasting’ of product from more than 280 different producers at the Old Billingsgate venue abutting the Thames River takes place on October 11 and 12 and is probably the largest national generic tasting ever staged off-shore by any wine-producing country. Wines of South Africa and the Department of Trade and Industry are joining forces to fund the participation of 12 BEE wineries at the event.