South African Psychiatry - November 2018

WINE FORUM
/ HANNUWA /
– PIPE-DREAM, OR POSSIBILITY?
12 th to 14 th September saw your scribe shake off
the dust of the clinic and don his journo hat
as a media delegate to CapeWine 2018, the
triennial international trade show that is core
to the mandate of WOSA – Wines of South Africa;
promoting the export of South African wines in key
international markets.
WOSA is an inclusive, not-for-profit body representing
all South African wine producers which export their
products. Established in its current form in 1999,
it has over 500 producers on its database and is
independent of any single producer or wholesaling
company, or any government department. It is,
however, recognised by government as an Export
Council. WOSA is funded by a per litre statutory levy
on all natural and sparkling wines exported.
This year a total of 2,414 delegates from 66 countries
– 1345 local and 1069 international trade and media
guests – registered for this showcase of wines from
352 producers under one roof at the Cape Town
International Convention Centre. The theme was
/Hannuwa/, which alludes to the 200,000 year old
Khoi-San word that describes the harmony between
man and the land from which we harvest. The focus
was on creating a sustainable future for the people,
vineyards and an industry that employs roughly
290,000 people in South Africa.
Carina Gous, who took over the WOSA Chair from
ex-FNB chief Michael Jordaan in November 2017,
painted a disarmingly frank and gloomy picture
of SA wine in the big league during the Opening
Seminar. South Africa, which exports some 52% of
wine production, well over half in bulk (sadly), is a
minnow. France commands the space with both
volume and price – it exports some 1 500 million litres
(L) at just over 6 €/L. Italy and Spain may export more
– over 2 billion L each – but at a lower price, 1.24
€/L in the latter case. New Zealand is also a small
exporter (255 million L) but at an admirable average
€ 4.15/L. And South Africa? We export around half
a million litres, but at a paltry 1.24
€/L. That’s the same price achieved
as Spain, but on about a fifth of
the volume. The whole point of this
three-day expo was to sell more
wine to foreign buyers, at hopefully
higher prices.
APART FROM THE EXHIBITION
– THE CORE OF THE MEETING WHERE
NEW BUYERS WERE WOOED AND DEALS
DONE – THERE WAS A HOST OF ALLIED
EVENTS OF INTEREST. THESE INCLUDED
BI-DAILY SEMINARS, THRICE DAILY
SPEAKER’S CORNER PRESENTATIONS,
FREE-POUR TASTING SESSIONS BOTH
MORNING AND AFTERNOON, AND EVEN
A WINE PROFESSIONALS BLIND TASTING
COMPETITION.
The seminars explored mores serious matters, based
on an illustrative tasting, such as The Old Vine
Project (grist for a future Wine Focus mill), the ageability
of SA white wines, the new wave Young Gun
winemakers, and Climate Change in the vineyard. Dr
Tara Southey presented her fascinating climate data
that track ‘Growing Degree Days’ which reflect the
area’s heat profile. This suggests there are hosts of
potential vineyard sites in non-traditional places that
may well be cooler (more desirable at our latitude)
than thought. Eschew Stellenbosch at over R1 million
to procure a hectare of virgin earth, the answer may
be tucked up in hills beyond the Huguenot Tunnel…
The Amorim Speaker’s Corner was less formal and
more personal, but still backed up with a tasting.
The new designation ‘Wine of Origin Cape Town’,
organic and biodynamic wine farming, new or
trendy grape varieties, sweet wine, bottle-fermented
wine and progress of the transformation of SA wine,
were amongst the itinerary.
SOUTH AFRICAN PSYCHIATRY ISSUE 17 2018 * 63