Wine to flow in Soweto
3 September 2007
The third annual Soweto Wine Festival gets under way on Friday, with 125 wineries showcasing over 800 different wines as they try broaden their audience by tapping into the increasing spending power of residents in South Africa's largest township.
The two-day festival, which takes place at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus, has grown since its inception in 2005 and organisers expect this year's event to attract over 5 000 people, as compared to 3 000 last year.
The festival was created to promote the wine industry to potentially new customers, while also creating investment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector in Soweto.
In a shift from previous festivals, Cape Wine Academy principal and festival organiser Marilyn Cooper says this year's festival will provide a strong platform for winemakers, marketers and other industry stakeholders to do business.
Organisers will also place more focus on wines, as
opposed to previous festivals, during which brandies also featured prominently.
"We wanted to attract a very specific calibre of sponsor partners, those who have a genuine and vested interest in the wine industry," says Cooper.
Exhibitors include leading South African wineries such as Bellingham, Douglas Green, Grunberger, JC Le Roux, Nederburg, the Robertson Winery and Zonnebloem.
According to the Johannesburg city council, Soweto has a population of some 1.5-million and a household income of R10.5-billion, R5.2-billion of which is available for consumer spending, and winemakers and marketers are hoping to take advantage of this.
"With local wine consumption dropping from 9.1 to 8.7 litres per person per year, it goes without saying that increasing the number of new wine drinkers through new domestic markets makes sense," says Cooper.
However, the festival has already attracted the attention of foreign enthusiasts, with tourists from the US and Nigeria
having booked to attend.
The quality of South African wines being showcased will be a definite attraction, since the country produces wines that reflect discerning and singularly unique tastes, many of which have won international awards.
"However, the host township with its rich history and abundant culture is a sure attraction, and patrons of the festival are guaranteed a truly unique African experience," say the organisers.
Tickets will be available from select Pick 'n Pay outlets, the Cape Wine Academy Johannesburg offices, and at the door at R40 per ticket.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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