Michelangelo Wine Awards partners with Checkers to offer 'Award Winners Selection'

One of South Africa’s leading wine and spirits competitions, the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards, has entered into a partnership with the Checkers Retail Group, which will provide consumers with greater access to the award winning wines and spirits of the competition.

According to the agreement, Checkers will present a collection of Michelangelo winners in its general retailer and liquor stores after the end of this year’s awards ceremony (to be held on 29 September 2018). Michelangelo is one of South Africa’s longest-standing wine and spirits awards and has been hosted annually since 1997.

According to Lorraine Immelman, CEO and founder of Michelangelo, the partnership with Checkers fulfills the main objectives of the competition to provide the consumer with outstanding wines, as well as provide producers with a platform to create awareness of their wines’ achievements.

“From the outset, Michelangelo was the only South African wine and spirits competition judged by a panel of which the majority are international wine experts,” said Immelman. This international expertise among the judges has created a very high standard for the annual assessment of top quality wines and spirits in South Africa.

“Through our relationship with Checkers, Michelangelo has made it easier for the consumer to gain access to these award-winning products through the excellent channels and distribution of a leading South African retail brand.”

Immelman also emphasized that this exciting chapter in Michelangelo’s history is another way through which wine and spirituality producers can benefit by signing up for the competition. “One of Michelangelo’s primary goals is to benefit the wine and spirits producer from our competition. We do this by giving them a chance to win an exclusive medal or trophy through the international rating process and to use these prizes in order to raise awareness of their brands and products.”

Immelman continues: “It is a win-win situation for the producer and consumer who, in my opinion, will introduce a new chapter in the relationship between wine and spirit competitions and retailers.”

According to Checkers, Michelangelo brings a new and exciting range of excellence to the Checkers alcoholic beverage offering. “With an already comprehensive collection of local and international wines at supermarket prices, this new partnership will enable Checkers to increase the variety of award-winning wines available in our stores,” said Checkers.

“The Michelangelo award-winning wines will be available in limited quantities, so we encourage consumers to buy enough stock when they see their favourite wines in store once the results are known.” The supermarket chain also encourages wine cellars to enroll for the prestigious Michelangelo Awards before 31 July 2018. “Winners will not only benefit from the awards, but also a possible wine list at Checkers,” concluded the statement.