South Africa continues to make progress on world wine markets, but it’s not doing as well in Ontario as it should.
Here’s a country that makes an astonishing range of wines, from crisp Sauvignon Blancs and fruity Chenin Blancs to elegant red blends based on the Bordeaux varieties, and blockbuster Shirazes and Cabernet Sauvignons. Yet for some reason, many consumers pass by the South Africa section on their way to Australia and California.
Perhaps the reason is that South Africa hasn’t successfully established a brand when it comes to wine. Think of Australia and you think of Shiraz, think California and you think Zinfandel. It’s the same with New Zealand and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s not as if those are the only wines those countries produce, but they established beachheads in consumers’ minds and allowed the other varieties to come ashore quite easily.
South Africa had a false start after the fall of the apartheid regime in 1994, the end of trade sanctions and the reappearance of South African wines in Ontario and elsewhere. The new generation of wines was dominated by South Africa’s two signature wines — Pinotage and Chenin Blanc. They were signature wines because Pinotage was created in South Africa and because it and Chenin Blanc were the most popular wines among South African wine consumers.
But they flopped on the international market. Now it’s hard to find a varietal Pinotage in the LCBO, and there are just a couple of Chenin Blancs. They’ve been replaced by South African Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, except that everyone makes them. It doesn’t matter that there are great-value South African Shirazes. Everyone knows that if you want a good Shiraz, you look in the Australian section. In short, South Africa just hasn’t established a clear brand for anything at the level of LCBO wines.
At the premium level, it’s a different story. Well-made and fine South African wines are regularly released by Vintages. In fact, a bunch of them were in Saturday’s release, and you’re sure to find many of them still for sale.
And you’ll find a great selection at the South African Wine Show that’s on tonight. (See the details, below.)
Cape Blends (of Pinotage and the Bordeaux varieties) are especially interesting, as are Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots. There are great whites, too: Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs and Chenin Blancs among them.
What South Africa needs is a much sharper wine identity. If it can’t successfully establish a particular grape variety as its own, it needs to play on the unique character of the country.
Australia has marketed many wines with its unique fauna, and the Tribal range from South Africa points in that direction with its leopard and giraffe designs, as do Hippo Creek and others.
What’s needed is an edgier, more aggressive campaign. How about a lion feeding on a freshly killed yellow-tailed wallaby? Or a leopard out-pacing a kangaroo?
Of course, the quality and value of the wine is more important than marketing or labels. But consumers have to be led to the wine first. It’s in this, not the wine, that South Africa seems to be coming up short.
There are still a few tickets available for the South Africa Wine Fair, which is on tonight at the Fairmont Château Laurier from 7 to 10 p.m.
The $40 tickets, which include all tastings, are available (cash only) at the door. To check on availability, call 324-9141.
Four South African wines on today’s rack.