Wine Investment in South Africa - Cape Wine Academy

8.2.3 Domestic recognition of SA fine wines
The SA wine trade is very price conscious. The KWV control of prices until the 1990’s has
left an historic view where the quality of the wine does not determine its price ( Howard,
2011 Appendix C ). Differentation of wine quality is essential to an investment market and
trade and consumers need signposts.
Platter’s South African Wine Guide is now in its 31 st year and is the first port of call for many
looking for ‘Superlative Cape Classics’ rated 5 stars by the team of tasters. Platter’s annually
announces its Winery and Wines of the Year and in 2011 gave more than 50 wines their
highest award. Despite an international audience, Platter’s underlines that the awards
represent quality, ‘ in an SA context’ ( Platter’s, 2011 ).
Since 1990 the National Bottled Wine Show in South Africa has issued Veritas Awards and
together with its coveted Veritas emblem, has become synonymous with top quality wines
and there is no doubt that retailers draw consumers’ attention to successful Veritas wines.
The organizers believe that their Gold and Double Gold awards are of value to the whole
industry, creating a prestigious image and state boldly; ‘the results are trusted implicitly
when international as well as local wine buyers use them to assist in their buying decisions’
( Veritas, 2011 ).
Slightly younger is the Trophy Wine Show, sponsored by Old Mutual, which since 2002 has
awarded Trophies and medals in numerous categories. The inclusion of three international
judges ( with six local judges ) gives the awards a degree of international recognition and
helps establish South African wines amongst the best in the world. Co-owner Michael
Fridjhon notes how the show is tracking progress;
‘The clear signs of an overall quality improvement at the top of the wine market -
which we have seen for some time’ ( Fridjhon, 2011a ).
Judge Debra Meiring MW felt of the 2011 show that, ‘quality in South Africa is at its highest
ever’, and the UK”s Neal Martin wanted SA fine wines to ‘get around the world’ and that you
‘have to start re-thinking South African wine’ ( Bolander, 2011 ).
The Michelangelo International Wine Awards ( Est.1996 ) also try to infuse a foreign
perspective and included, in 2010, 15 judges from 15 countries spending six days judging
the 1,310 wines entered. Only domestic wines are judged, however, so without a direct
international ‘blind’ tasting comparison one could debate the ‘International’ label. The small
entry ( Platter’s rated over 6,000 wines in 2011 ) is another area of criticism.
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