Durban - The exhibition hall during this year’s highly successful Cape Wine 2015 demonstrated the extent to which South Africa’s wines were being welcomed globally.
Now two Stellenbosch winemakers say they will take advantage of the positive developments in Cuba to open an export market in the Caribbean country for their wines.
Kanu Wines MD Ben Truter and Koopmanskloof Vineyards MD Rydal Jeftha are part of a group of South African businesspeople who participated in the Havana International Trade Fair earlier this month.
Truter had participated in the trade fair two years ago, but had found the market impenetrable at the time. He said now the changing environment in Cuba, driven by the normalised relationship with the US, offered a different scenario.
Jeftha said Cuba was attracting global attention, but specifically from the US, and he wanted to be a step ahead to take advantage of the good relationships between South Africa and Cuba. That meant penetrating the wine market and getting South African wines on restaurant wine lists and into hotels.
In finding a Cuban agent he believed he could establish his brand in Cuba and increase the presence of his wines in the country. Already the restaurants and hotels were teeming with tourists.
Truter was inspired by the media reports of developments in Cuba and observed a potentially sound market provided by the tourists, especially European, streaming into Cuba.
“This is the opportune time to establish a presence here … there is no time to procrastinate as things will be more difficult in the future as more companies target Cuba as an export market for their products,” he said.
There is little doubt South African wines can compete against the best in the world. The opportunity to demonstrate that on another international stage can only hold our wines in good stead.
Closer to home, South Africa has a new wine route – the 21st time a group of wineries has formed a collective to draw tourists and promote a specific region. Misty Mountains Estate is the first winery visitors encounter on the Stanford Wine Route when travelling from Hermanus on the R43.
Next is Springfontein on the opposite side of the Klein River where the cool, windy Walker Bay climate and limestone soils have brought out the best in chenin blanc and pinotage. The Sir Robert Stanford Estate is just off the R43 and about 1km before the town of Stanford.
Established in 1855 and once owned by entrepreneur Sir Robert Stanford, it is one of Walker Bay’s oldest wine estates with vineyards overlooking the Klein River Valley.
The balance of the route includes Stanford Hills winery, Walker Bay Vineyards, Vaalvlei, Raka and Boschrivier Wines – certainly a trip well worth considering for anyone looking for another experience in the winelands.
The Mercury
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