Wine writer Neil Pendock recently argued that South African vintners should perhaps look to enter the American market with more affordable wines.
Neil writes that the strategy of showcasing iconic, and pricey, South African wines at US tastings may not achieve the desired effect of getting Americans to drink South African wine.
The reason: Americans, like many other consumers around the world, can’t afford expensive wines. “The challenge for SA generic wine marketers is to offer those Americans treading water, something to drink… perhaps a little humility will go a long way in presenting SA wine to the most realistic target market: Americans with declining income mobility.”
Neil makes the point that South Africa is not alone in pursuing the flawed high-end market and that Australian wine producers are seeing their strategy of promoting premium wines in the U.S. unravel.