Wineblog

deur Edo Heyns

Kom ons wees eerlik. Ek was nie seker hoe om die inleiding van hierdie post  oor wynetikette aan te pak nie, toe Google ek “oorspronklikheid” vir inspirasie. My vrees dat ’n emmer soetsappigheid by my skerm gaan uitstroom, was verniet, want die webtuiste wat my oog gevang het was juis oor die teenoorgestelde van oorspronklikheid – ’n klipharde waarskuwing oor plagiaat deur die Universiteit van Pretoria. Ook bekend as ’n Verklaring van Oorspronklikheid.

“U is in werklikheid besig om iets wat aan iemand anders behoort, te steel,” lui die dokument. Nou, die eenvormigheid van die bewoording op rugetikette is waarskynlik nie plagiaat of diefstal nie, maar in my boeke is dit nie ver van krimineel nie.

Om die waarheid te sê, wens ek die Wyn-en Spiritusraad sal Tuks se vorm aanpas en insluit by die wynsertifisering-papierwerk, want kyk, oorspronkliheid op etikette is so skaars soos goeie Hárslevelű. En in die gevalle waar iets anders as die landgoed se seebriese of wynmaker se passie besing word, hoop ek wynkopers beloon die kreatiwiteit met verkope.

Die afgelope week het daar só ’n bottel op my lessenaar geland, ene Carinus Family Vineyards Chenin Blanc – met die rugetiket wat lees:

“Wynmaak is ’n saak van erns. Wyndrink, egter, is ’n hartsaak – een met ’n sin vir humor. Ons hou van (ons) voete op die grond en die vryheid van die veld … Kom sit aan (of bly staan) vir nog ’n lewenservaring. Lekker!”

Ek sê nie hierdie gaan in die volgende uitgawe van die Groot Verseboek verskyn nie. Maar dis eg en oorspronklik - veral as jy die ouens ken wat die wyn maak - terwyl dit nie snert kwytraak van Malmesbury se seebriese nie. En boonop is dit ’n blêrrie lekker wyn.

by Elona Nel

We know that education is important – it is key to any society and industry. Although the South African wine industry has no shortage of knowledgeable individuals in the driving seats, the general public has been pulling on the shortest end. At the Chenin Blanc Association’s conference held yesterday at Joostenberg, cheninista* Bruwer Raats posed the question as to why the South African market does not understand Chenin Blanc.

“South African consumers have not been sufficiently educated” – Hugh Johnson stated, in 1974! Which begs the question as to what we have been doing the past 37 years? A recent study by three MSc students at the University of Stellenbosch, under guidance of Dr Hélène Nieuwoudt, proved this troubling point even further. When probing a vast number of festival-goers at wine festivals in both Robertson and Johannesburg, the shocking evidence showed that the consumers have very little knowledge about Chenin Blanc or wine in general.

Knowledge is power – and can be instrumental for the marketing departments to sufficiently promote the individuality of their products. Education can be used to connect consumers, improve their wine drinking enjoyment and motivate them to experiment with different styles. However, this should be done on their level – it should be kept simple and be non-threatening.

Marketing expert Ross Sleet emphasised this and suggested the use of back labels to educate consumers, in a fun and simple way; informal but informative. So let’s each use our various tools to educate the masses and not be caught contempt and stagnant for another near 40 years.

*Cheninista is a term for Chenin Blanc fans, invented by Cape Classics.

by Elona Nel

This century is commonly referred to as the information age – consumers (or even innocent bystanders) don’t have to ask for information, the information finds them. In effect, the options become infinite and the decisions more difficult. Wine is no exception. Enter any off-sales, whether it is a high-class, fancy store with proper cooling and intricate music, or a Christmas-carol-chanting supermarket – consumers are spoilt for choice.

With the onus on the capable marketing gurus of our industry to ensure that their specific brands, and ultimately brand South Africa, becomes the chosen one, it is interesting to note what South Africans base their decisions on.

A recent sustainability survey by Ogilvy Earth South Africa was designed to scan what the attitudes of South Africans are towards sustainability and environmental issues. It was conducted online over a seven month period and was completed by 800 South Africans – the majority in Johannesburg or Cape Town and aged between 26 and 45 years.

The survey found that 85% of these people would boycott a company or brand if they suspected it was acting in an irresponsible or damaging way towards its people, community or environment. 76% are prepared to pay a little more for a product or service that was ethical in its social, environmental and general business practices.

Indeed reassuring, with a growing number of establishments in the wine industry doing their part – an in-depth article on 20 such leading companies will appear in the December WineLand magazine. Even though most companies incorporate upliftment and development for the right reasons – and not just to be able to have it on paper – 91% of South Africans want big brands to keep them up to date with news about the positive contribution they are making in society.

And how will this benefit a wine brand when placed next to another 20 similar ones on a shelf? About 61% of people will buy a product because of the corporate social responsibility initiatives that the brand or company is involved in.