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In town this week: François Despagne, one of the new generation of French wine-making oenologists. Seven generations of his family have produced highly regarded wine on the Grand Corbin, Despagne estate, in St Emilion. Will South Africa’s use of science, technology and marketing know-how, be good enough to pinch a share of his market? |
A new beginning for South African wine?
There is more to South African wine than just cheap mass-produced plonk
ENSCONCED in the atmospheric reading room at South Africa House and under the kindly gaze of Nelson Mandela’s portrait we sipped the best of South Africa’s red wines.
We had been at this building before – but always outside – on the Trafalgar Square pavement, opposing apartheid and demanding freedom for Nelson Mandela. Now we are inside the large1930s’ neo classical-style building, as guests of a democratic South Africa.
Our hosts were, Wines of South Africa, the official promoters of the country’s wines in the UK. They want wine drinkers to take a closer look at South African wine. They also – like all the other wine producing countries – want us to spend more for our bottle.
South African wine sales have been in decline recently but are still well represented on supermarket shelves. Morrisons stock around 25 different reds, Sainsbury’s 15, most of which are made from Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz, the top selling international red wine varieties.
All, with the odd exception, have two things in common, they are made in vast quantity, and are sold cheap – most under £6 for a 75cl bottle.
Kumala the top selling South Africian wine brand is owned by Constellation Brands, a giant American company which has become the world’s biggest wine producer, through preditory buying of established wine producers.
South Africa’s wine marketing problems are summed up by South African-born, Justin Howard-Sneyd, a top Waitrose wine buyer, who asks why the UK stocks so many brands that do not exist in South Africa which are sourced from whoever can supply the cheapest liquid.
He could also question why so many South African wines are made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, two non-traditional, very recent additions to the South African wine-growing scene.
For over a year, Wines of South Africa have been attempting to promote a more upmarket view and change our perception of the Rainbow Nation’s wines. Here in South Africa House we were witnessing their latest campaign. The objective is to demonstrate that there is more to South African wine than cheap mass produced modern plonk.
In front of us displayed on a long network of tables and surrounded by a posse from the wine trade and press, is a diverse range, of 63 of South Africa’s best and decidedly more expensive wines. Ranging in price from £7.99 to £24.99, they include wines produced from Pinot Noir and the local indigenous hybrid, Pinotage grapes.
It was an impressive range that included 21 blended wines, aping all the famous French blends from Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley. There were of course plenty of single varietal Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and 16 wines label Shiraz or sometimes Syrah. The South Africans are not taking any changes, grape-wise they are fully inclusive.
Overall the standard of the wines was good, some of the blended wines showed promise. But South Africa’s upmarket wines are a work in progress and here they were being judged by professionals operating in one of the most coveted wine markets in the world.
The previous week they were tasting Burgundy, the week following the South African tasting, St Emilion Grand cru winemakers were in Town. Extremely tough competition for fledgling upmarket wannabe wines.
Nevertheless, some of the wines made a good impression, the Glen Carlou, Pinot Noir, 75cl (Paarl region) 2005 Odd bins £9.99 a well structured wine with lots of ripe strawberry taste.
Cederberg, Shiraz 2004 (Cederberg region) Handford Holland Park £11.75 also stood out.
Pinotage is South Africa’s native grape. Like the Californian Zinfandel it often receives a bad press but there was a general buzz of approval around the Spice Route, Pinotage 2005 (Swartland region) Waitrose (larger stores only) £7.99.
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