Rosé on the rise
Today is International Rosé Day and while we might have thought the craze for pink was over, it seems that to drink pink is all but a phase...Read More
Testing Theory
We all have theories and ideas and we like to share them, but there is no time like a crisis to test them! My late father in law's theory wa...Read More
Cry Wolf about Wine
After only a week of being open for post lockdown liquor sales, on Monday, 8 June a rumour about the ban on alcohol being reinstated, saw th...Read More
Finding a new way for food
Invention in a time of Crisis - the topic of my blog on 20 March. Corona was here, we already saw the impact on the tourism industry and I p...Read More
A Social Experiment
We're living in strange times. Whether you had to survive lockdown on your own or had to cope with your family 24-7, Covid-19 has not only c...Read More
For the Community, by the Community
Early in April, Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said: “To defeat Covid-19 is no longer an issue of a nurse and a doctor; it is actual...Read More
The Sense of Smelling
Wine is all about smell and taste. Wine professionals are always sniffing and sampling and perhaps that might also be the reason why they ar...Read More
“Let’s all suffer a little”
“Let’s all suffer a little, so no one has to suffer a great deal.” What a profound quote. These few simple words give such perspective...Read More
Learning about Localism
Have you heard about localism? Times of crisis have the ability to highlight things that have already been troublesome for a while. When mon...Read More
What Waits for Wine?
It's impossible not to speculate about what would be waiting post-lockdown, post-Corona. Intelligent lockdown, social distancing, voluntary ...Read More
Gathering one’s thoughts in uncertain times
My father-in-law used to say that we have to make time to think. Thinking can bring perspective, insight and ideas. Time to think is a moder...Read More
Perfect Time, Perfect Place
For the time being, our homes seem to be the perfect place if we want to stay safe, but this time of isolation means different things to dif...Read More
In the Eye of the Beholder
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it is crucial to have a broader perspective. Even when something is not your taste or culture, you...Read More
Invention in a time of crisis
Times are tough. There is no denying that 2020 has turned out to be a bigger challenge than anticipated and the COVID-19 pandemic and its gl...Read More
The importance of being informed
I believe it is important to have an opinion. I even like to share mine on this blog every week! And while an opinion is not a text book or ...Read More
Sustainability – not as clear as glass
Sustainability is a term that we use every day, but it is because it is so very relevant. For me, sustainability is an overarching term and ...Read More
A one-trick pony budget?
Expectations were all but rosy when it came to Tito Mboweni's 2020 Budget speech. According to most experts, there was but one trick and tha...Read More
Lessons for Corona
Nowadays all conversations lead to Corona. If you're not in immediate danger of contracting the virus, you worry about how it will affect yo...Read More
The Blessing of the Harvest
January 2020 was a challenging month. This seems to be the sentiment everywhere I go. There's no escaping the economic, social and climatic ...Read More
Free Trade – the Pros & Cons
Free Trade is an important consideration for anyone in the global trading environment and with Brexit and the USMCA top of mind, the focus i...Read More
Don’t drop the ball!
On 2 February 1990, South African State President FW de Klerk surprised most of his parliament, the banned ANC, the SA public and world medi...Read More
A rollercoaster ride for SA wine in 2020 – insights from #VinproDay
At the annual wine industry Nedbank Vinpro Information Day we were in for a serious reality check, allowed time to get our hopes up, plumbin...Read More
Education – keep it real
Social media platforms are flooded with pictures of learners starting the new school year. In a country where education is invaluable to aff...Read More
Care enough to Change
"I don't care anymore. I'm joking, I never did", says Ricky Gervais in his provocative Golden Globes welcome, but if there is one thing we n...Read More
Trends for 2020
It is the time of the year for trend watching. Here are the trends for 2020 that I found most interesting.1. Green - from eco-st...Read More
Come to Cape Town, non-stop!
It would not be stretching to call Cape Town the jewel in the South African tourism crown, but recently no one could blame tourists for reco...Read More
Jolly vs Junk
The festive season is upon us and 'tis the season to be jolly... but if we consider the economic outlook for South Africa, I'm afraid there ...Read More
At the top, or not?
Making way for new generations to perform and be recognised is a sincere and positive sentiment, but the issue can be more complex. What do...Read More
Sometimes all it takes is time
"It’s pretty obvious what Franschhoek needs most is time", says wine writer Christian Eedes in a recent profile about our valley. This is ...Read More
All Things to All People
"You can't be all things to all people" is a phrase often used in business and private life. It's a phrase that is not often disputed. We kn...Read More
Rassie, Ramaphosa and Reality
What a triumph for the whole country when Kolisi lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy! In the afterglow we see potential - in each other and...Read More
Radical Uncertainty
In a time when we have more access to information than ever before, is it not ironic that uncertainty is still one of our biggest challenges...Read More
Older and Wiser
This week I celebrated my birthday and I am blessed to say that I feel even fitter and healthier than a few years ago. Attempting a health...Read More
What can algorithms do for wine?
The saying goes "Ask no questions, hear no lies", but in today's world of big data, we might be answering questions without realising that t...Read More
“Less stuff, more stories”
"Less stuff and more stories" is quite an interesting trend, but is it a red flag or an opportunity for business? I followed the recent Wine...Read More
Croatia: Familiarity meets Discovery
The 2006 Bond Movie, Casino Royale, played off in Montenegro and introduced many of us to the spectacular landscapes of the Adriatic. But mu...Read More
A Taste for Tourism
Both Heritage and Tourism are celebrated in South Africa during September and perhaps it is a good time to consider what role heritage can p...Read More
For the love of food
They say fine-dining is on its way out. Why would that be? We surely have a better culinary awareness these days with wider ingredient varie...Read More
A Generation for Golf
We might feel like we had enough of Millennial trends, but they affect our world in ways we did not see coming. Take golf for instance. Last...Read More
Taboo or To-Do?
Tattoos, high fat diets, fasting... many things that were once totally taboo are now part of our everyday lives and not even an eyebrow rais...Read More
Dare I say, Happy Women’s Day?
We do not need Mother's Day to cherish our mothers or Valentine's Day to love our partners, but we often enjoy the fun and gesture at the he...Read More
The Power of Preparation
I just completed my own version of the Tour de France with the HotChillee London to Paris cycle tour. What a highlight this has been for me!...Read More
Sharing is Caring
There is safety in structure. An established business model offers guidance, best practice and experienced leadership to guide business vent...Read More
Why Vegan?
Veganism is one of 2019's top trends. With the number of vegans said to be increasing by 160% over the last decade and with 25% of Americans...Read More
Room for Research
I join the SA wine industry in mourning the passing of the much-loved and respected viticulturist, Professor Eben Archer. I believe his root...Read More
Dare to Dream
President Ramaphosa received a lot of criticism for sharing his dreams for South Africa in his latest State of the Nation address,...Read More
We are aware, but do we care?
We all seem to be more aware. More than just an interest in global affairs or being nosy about the neighbours, we have access to and are con...Read More
Site Specific – taste or talk
This week we are celebrating Syrah as part of Shiraz South Africa's Seven Days of Shiraz. Tasting our own wines from a number of vintages, I...Read More
The Weakest Link
Watching the Protea Cricket team's performance in the Cricket World Cup was like watching a scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Almost t...Read More
Change is for the Brave
They say change is as good as a holiday. They also say not to change a winning recipe. What do they mean? Are we to wait with change until t...Read More
Attitude for an A-team
South Africa's new parliament and the announcement of Ramaphosa's cabinet are receiving much media attention. Other than a political agenda,...Read More
Reconsidering British Food
English food culture, with the possible exception of high tea, does not have the same romantic ring to it as Italian, Japanese or Middle Eas...Read More
A chance to ‘fish’
There is some kind of pride in making your mark on election day. It is as if your contribution can really make a difference. And while colle...Read More
Just a friend you do not know
Except for those who are really adventurous, many of us have some kind of fear for the unknown. And when the unknown comes across as exclusi...Read More
Election promises and employment possibilities
In an election year, promises of job creation always take centre stage, especially in a country like South Africa where unemployment is at u...Read More
Cultural tolerance – lessons from food & wine
A visit to Malaysia really entices your senses and in some way, I think it is similar to what foreign tourists experience when coming to Sou...Read More
Being memorable – a brand dilemma
If you are in the business of producing or selling a value-adding product, the brand is a most important thing. We all try to take the c...Read More
SA wine over time
One can't help to feel slightly intimidated by the enormity of the global wine offering when walking through hall after hall of wine at the...Read More
For the sake of wine
Nowadays, in wine marketing to the consumer, we often include experience in the conversation and focus much less on product. Experience is t...Read More
In the Slipstream of the Strong Brand
Brand owners often see strong brands in their category as the unobtainable goal and unbeatable competition, but the small brand can not only...Read More
Trading Up
As long as I can remember, trading up has been the number one challenge for South African wine. More than green pepper Sauvignon Blanc and b...Read More
Business lessons from the Budget Speech
"If you ran your household finances like government runs the country’s money, your bank would shut your accounts faster than you could say...Read More
Doing it with Data
Data has become part of our everyday vocabulary. Much more than research data, it has become the access to our online life and also the info...Read More
Story vs Price – that’s a story!
"Do you compete on price or do you have a story to tell?" This question by Vinpro's Christo Conradie at the annual Industry Information day,...Read More
A glass half full: Insights & Interesting Ideas about SA wine in 2019 #VinproDay
With uncertainty about land reform and a lack of economic growth, it is easy to be negative about the bigger picture for South African wine ...Read More
The Restaurant in 2019
In a competitive and pressured environment, restaurants today are about more than the food and drink they serve. To be successful in 2019, a...Read More
What to expect from 2019
At the pace technology develops and changes our world, forecasts quickly turn into reality and society is struggling to keep up. While I lov...Read More
Classics vs Crazes – Culinary Predictions for 2019
While there is no denying the quality and enjoyment one gets from the classics, any industry needs some excitement and innovation. Regardles...Read More
Trade & Travel
Whether it really saves you money is debatable, but there is something very alluring about duty free shopp...Read More
Time for Trends
Sometimes the truly great and talented are not recognised in their own lifetimes. Sometimes they are plainly ahead of the times and ahead ...Read More
The Existential Angst of the Wine Brand
The dream is to have a brand. Everyone who is trying to sell a product dreams of the day when that product name becomes something recognisab...Read More
Protecting your brand
There might be something flattering about having your brand copied, but other than stealing from your sales volumes, counterfeits take your ...Read More
The Beauty of Balance
Hannuwa is the theme of Cape Wine 2018. This San word implies a life of harmony and plenty, or success in sustaining life. But what does thi...Read More
A new way to wine
Drinking and driving is a big issue - not only from a road safety perspective but also because of our public responsibility. This is of cour...Read More
To be a leader, first show up
Lead, Mentor, Think, Serve, Show Up! - some of the core elements from Dr Wendy Luhabe's address on Leadership and economic empowerment this...Read More
Social commentary from the British Pubs
Pubs in the UK are closing down at a rate of 18 per week. They have been doing so for a while and the rate is increasing. Are the reasons p...Read More
Women – making a difference in the world of wine
"To treat them equally, you have to treat them differently". Someone said this to me a long time ago, but it stays an important perspective ...Read More
Brics – the right building blocks
Technology and trends have a very important impact on how we do business. But in an interconnected environment, they also strongly impact on...Read More
Consolidation and Competition
“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner”, a famous quote by Nelson Ma...Read More
Winter cold – what the vine wants
After three dry seasons, the 2018 Winelands winter is a delight. The vital rain has come and with it, the much-needed cold conditions. But w...Read More
Diversity – a challenge with charisma
Diversity is one of the key descriptors when it comes to South Africa - for its people, landscape, culture and wine! As challenging as it ...Read More
Employment vs Technology
JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! tweets Wandile Sihlobo on opportunities within South African agriculture. On the other side of the world in China, Alib...Read More
Where is more than there
Wine can be enjoyed in some unusual places! There is Subsix, a bar 19 feet below the surface of the Indian Ocean in the Maldives. The wine l...Read More
Three A’s of Brand Success in China
Social platforms have become our new sitting rooms. The online environment is not only where we work and shop, but also where we socialise. ...Read More
Lessons from the Michelin ratings
Being awarded a Michelin star is something restaurant dreams are made of. But as we know from wine industry accolades, the food an...Read More
Family and Business – a good mix
Education and skills development are major challenges in South Africa. Making education accessible and affordable is a burning point and hav...Read More
A stand-off: Experience vs Product
Experiential marketing is a trending concept and for many brands the customer experience can become the main focus. Does this mean product h...Read More
Making the most of mobile
Access to the internet and instant availability of information have become the order of the day. And although not everyone has access to Wi...Read More
Finding Freedom
27 April is Freedom Day in South Africa, celebrating the first democratic elections that happened on this day in 1994. But have we really ac...Read More
Tourism – make it easy!
Exploration is an ancient desire - from the time of the Vikings to Bartolomeu Dias and Christopher Columbus. In today's world, many of us ...Read More
The Golden Age of Old Vines
Meeting up with an acquaintance in Germany recently, I was hosted to a tasting of wines made from 50 to 150 year-old vineyards. Suddenly it ...Read More
Embracing Riesling
Riesling. Are you thinking German, perfume on the nose, sweet palate, tall brown bottle, busy label? Then it is time to wake up to a whole ...Read More
Agriculture vs Land
Agriculture plays a crucial role in the South African economy, especially when it comes to food security and job creation. But will this in...Read More
Tourism – a demand for innovation
Peter Drucker's "Business only has two key functions: marketing and innovation", is very relevant for the tourism industry. With ITB Berlin ...Read More
Paying for our sins
Sin Tax - a tax for the sinful. But is it to punish us for our worldly enjoyment or only to add to the state coffers? Does it really encoura...Read More
Loyalty – a new definition for brand and business
We are amidst the Chinese New Year Festival and 2018 being the year of the Dog, the concept of loyalty is on the table. But does loyalty sti...Read More
The Customer – your new partner in business
"The Customer is always right" - a truth we have learned from our grandparents. But in today's digital world, the status of the customer is...Read More
Confidence – economic stimulus and likely liberator of SA wine
Confidence was a recurring concept at the Vinpro wine industry information day. Then followed a confidence-boosting week with decisive actio...Read More
Making wine work – industry & harvest insights from #VinproDay
Despite focussing on the drought, global short supply, the challenge of pricing and branding as well as political and policy uncertainty, I ...Read More
2017 – A Review
2017 was an interesting year in many respects. Donald Trump had to walk the walk while Zuma was walking a tight rope. Planet earth had to en...Read More
Advancing our thoughts on the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The fourth industrial revolution is upon us. Robots and computers will dramatically change the employment landscape in the next five to eigh...Read More
E-commerce & Entrepreneurs – not even the sky is the limit
In my last few blogs I have focused a lot on the new business landscape - how technology and trends have changed the way we sell, market, di...Read More
The New Selling – more science than skill
Selling has become more science than skill. No longer is it only about the quality of the product, the strength of the brand, the size of...Read More
Experience – the 5th P of Marketing
Marketing handbooks taught us about the 4 P's of marketing: Price, Product, Promotion, Place but in today's world it is missing one componen...Read More
Minding the Middleman
Growing-up in a small agricultural community, I recall listening to many conversations about the monstrosity that is the middleman...Read More
Why Special Economic Zones?
Wine of Moldova Airport – yes, that is the winning name in a new name survey for Moldova’s Chisinau International Airport, Meininger.de ...Read More
At Last, A Strategy for SA Wine Tourism
Wine tourism is a subject close to my heart. Not only does it support job creation, education and upliftment in small communities, it also e...Read More
Addressing the Disconnect
June, 16th is Youth Day in South Africa. This sad day in 1976 saw the death of school children, but highlighted the plight of the South Afri...Read More
Time for Good News
No news is good news, the saying goes. And it seems that good news is no news. Especially when you look at the headlines in South African ne...Read More
Brexit’s Significance for SA Wine Exports
Just recently we have seen the dramatic influence politics can have on the economy. Soon after President Zuma’s midnight cabinet reshuffle...Read More
Why Wine Entertainment
I am outspoken about the importance of wine tourism, but with the opening of a ‘Disney World for Wine‘ in China, I thought about the rea...Read More
Business lessons from the VOC
We just returned from Europe and as always, being among the age-old buildings awakens a sense of history in me. This time around, a visit to...Read More
Plans for Africa! #WEFAFRICA2017
This week, Durban played host to the World Economic Forum on Africa 2017.This international organization is committed to improving the s...Read More
Influencers – Calling for Action
If you find yourself in marketing and PR meetings from time to time, you would have been confronted with the word “influencer”. As with ...Read More
What Makes a Good Leader?
After last night’s drastic reshuffling of the South African cabinet (read more), one of the things that I have always found interesting is...Read More
Storytelling – the Essence of Wine Marketing
“A good distinction is that a product is something people buy for its functional benefits, whereas a brand they buy for emotional benefits...Read More
Sustainability – it Makes Business Sense
Sustainability is a loaded term that can be used in a myriad of contexts. As farmers and wine producers, sustainability is especially import...Read More
Customer is King and it is a Good Thing
Customer is King – an old saying that has never been more true than now! While the one-on-one customer service of the old days might be so...Read More
Mining vs Agriculture – Now a Bit Closer to Home
While we have always known about the threat mining holds for the grain producing areas of South Africa (read more), we were recently reminde...Read More
Education and Employment in the Winelands – Take That First Step!
Last night with President Zuma’s State of the Nation address, he mentioned that the economy is growing but not enough to create jobs (read...Read More
Not Just Another Wine Auction
There is quite a big difference between a Wine Auction and a Charity Wine Auction. The Wine Auction can be quite an intimidating place for t...Read More
Gen Z – A New Generation in the SA Wine Industry
“I believe in innovation and that the way you get innovation is you fund research and you learn the basic facts.” – Bill Gates (read m...Read More
In 2017 – Take Your Experience Virtual!
January is the month for trend forecasts and I always try to keep my finger on the pulse as to what is indicated for the new year – whethe...Read More
2016 – The Bad and the Good
2016 was a bad year. Friends on Facebook, influencers on Twitter and newspaper headlines agree. Terror attacks, the Zika virus, celebrity de...Read More
Exports vs Job Creation
I listened to a radio talk show (Listen to the Afrikaans podcast) earlier this week discussing what happened in the economy since Donald Tru...Read More
Marketing Lesson From the US Election
This week saw the long-anticipated US presidential election and the surprise victory of Donald Trump.Now that might be enough of a surpr...Read More
It Is! It Is!! It Is!!! Strong Sentiment on Customer Service.
The legend of Italy’s wine region with the peculiar name of Est! Est!! Est!!! begins with a bishop who on his way to Rome, sent a servant ...Read More
Why the Proposed Liquor Bill Should Stay a Proposal
If it was not such a serious matter, acclaimed wine writer, Michael Fridjhon’s article on South Africa’s draft liquor bill would definit...Read More
In Memory of Franschhoek CEO, Jenny Prinsloo
A week ago, the Franschhoek Valley was shocked by the untimely death of Jenny Prinsloo, the CEO of Franschhoek Tourism, and a much-loved and...Read More
Innovation vs the Basics
At last week’s Adams & Adams WineLand Seminar, innovation was one of the key focus areas. To such a degree that participants were discoura...Read More
Bright Future for SA Wine With Thinking Industry!
Spring is such an amazing time of year but one often stands daunted by the end of the year rush and the associated chaos waiting around the ...Read More
Are We Searching for a Hero?
I am no political commentator but I have always been interested in what is happening in politics and especially the impact politicians and w...Read More
Making a Difference – Where it Matters
I have just returned from a wonderful golf day and auction in aid of the Make A Difference Leadership Foundation – also known as MAD. The ...Read More
On War and Wine
It might be because modern media is so immediate, but it seems that terrorism has become much more a reality than in the past. It used to be...Read More
Economic Partnerships, Brexit, Local Consumption and their Influence on the SA Wine Industry
This week I was invited to a discussion on the importance of the recent EU free trade agreement for the SA wine industry. The discussion was...Read More
A New Perspective on Being Seasonal and Regional
During our recent tour of Europe, we had lunch at Noma. It has been an experience we have been looking forward to – one that was overdue a...Read More
Brexit and Weather (!) and their Impact on History
Napoleon and his French army was just about invincible – until the Russian winter stepped in for a dramatic historic event, eventually res...Read More
Distrobution is King
Article by Lucille Botha, published in Landbouweekblad (South African agricultural magazine), 10 June 2016. (Translated to English from orig...Read More
The Opportunity and Threat of Being Successful Online
This week at Vinexpo Hong Kong, I was privileged to be in conversation with some great minds in the wine world: Robert Joseph, Philippe Guig...Read More
The Quest for Luxury and the Celebration of Excellence
I was delighted this week when La Motte’s signature red wine, the 2011 Hanneli R was acknowledged as one of the Top 5 Luxury Red Wines in ...Read More
What Wind Does for Wine
Twitter is gusting about today’s strong winds in Cape Town!Captain Kai @KapteinKai 36m36 minutes ago Cape Town, South Africa The w...Read More
Inspired by the Black Knight
Most of us have someone we admire. Some we respect, others we adore. It can be someone as close as a family member or a public figure you ha...Read More
Trends, Fads and their Influence on the Economy
What I love about Economy as a subject, is that it is about so much more than money. It is about people. What happens in the economy is infl...Read More
Humanity and Cooperation – The Suggestions of Great Leaders
Humanity and Cooperation – the suggestions of great leadersAs part of our cooperation with Chinese partners, Perfect China, we have de...Read More
Tailoring the Online World of Wine
I am just back from what I consider to be the most important wine show on the international wine calendar, Prowein. Each year, I am again in...Read More
Wine on the Red Carpet
Recently I attended a glitzy event with a ‘dash of red’ theme and it felt a bit like being on the red carpet! Perhaps a bit out of my co...Read More
The Importance of Women – In and For Business!
From Cleopatra to Queen Elizabeth I – there are a host of women who have made a significant contribution to history. Women who are industr...Read More
A Century in a Bottle
During harvest time we are constantly reminded about the wonderful potential of the grape, the importance of terroir, the skill of winemakin...Read More
A Great Start to 2016!
Sometimes things just come together. This was one of those weeks.Not only is one of the wine industry’s annual highlights, the Cape Wi...Read More
Education in the Winelands – How to Support This Important Cause
I am so excited about the opportunities the wine industry can create for local communities when it comes to job creation and education. That...Read More
2016 Harvest Expectations and Outlook for the SA Wine Industry
Yesterday I attended the annual VinPro information day creating a platform to share wine industry information and expectations for the 2016 ...Read More
Wishing You Online Sales Success in 2016!
At the Franschhoek MCC Conference a month ago, Pier2Pier, a digital company with expertise in online marketing and sales explained why wine ...Read More
The Weak Rand – Trying to Find a Positive
Finance Minister Nene’s unexpected dismissal by President Jacob Zuma is talk of the town… and the country. And while the Rand has hardly...Read More
SA Sparkling Wine – From Science to Entertainment
“We are in the entertainment business”, said Mark Norrish of Ultra Liquors at the Cap Classique Conference in Franschhoek this week....Read More
The Business of Black Friday
It is hard to ignore Black Friday. Around every corner and on every possible media device, you are confronted with special offers that are a...Read More
Strategic Growth Required in the SA Wine Industry
My Insights on Finweek Article “The local wine industry is running the risk of producing too low volumes over the next three years, espec...Read More
Taking a Chance in China by William Pirie – Insights into Being A Success in the Chinese Wine Trade
In September I met William Pirie in Hong Kong for a South African wine tasting as well as dinner. He is a writer for Week in China and was w...Read More
London Food, Patriotic Sentiments and Exchange Rate Dilemmas
A delighted man after South Africa’s close victory over Wales in the Rugby World Cup quarter finals last Saturday, I stayed in London this...Read More
What Winning the World Cup and Planning Your Finances Have in Common!
The Rugby World Cup has been the topic of conversation in my circle of friends over the last few weeks and being passionate rugby supporters...Read More
SA Wine: How to Become a Success Story
This morning, I talked to some of the young and aspirant winemakers in South Africa at a seminar aimed at young leaders in wine. Hosted by I...Read More
The SA Wine Industry: All Grown-Up and Sophisticated
So, in last week’s blog, I questioned the format of wine fairs and whether they really meet the expectations of both attendees and exhibit...Read More
Wine Fairs: Expectations Vs Results
Next week, the South African wine industry is hosting the international wine trade consisting of wine buyers and media at Cape Wine 2015. ...Read More
The Importance and Controversies of Wine Ratings
“Wine ratings have always been controversial, regardless of whether it is done by an official tasting panel, wine competition judges or wi...Read More
Classification – An Industry Responsibility
Wine ratings have always been controversial, regardless of whether it is done by an official tasting panel, wine competition judges or wine ...Read More
The Value of An Online Community
The closure of large UK retailer, Tesco‘s online wine community is all over the news today and I have to admit that I am surprised at this...Read More
Assets Vs Interface – The New Face of Success
Success used to be measured in assets. And although the landscape has been changing for a while, nothing made it more real for me than Tom ...Read More
Greece – Weathering the Storm Most Graciously
So while Greece and its economy are making headlines all over the world, we just happen to be on a long-awaited holiday on the Greek islands...Read More
Wine Education – Time and Money Well Spent
Yesterday I had a wonderful lunch with Penny Richards, Executive Director of the Institute of Masters of Wine as well as Oliver Chapman, inv...Read More
A Guarantee of Origin and Quality – The Value of Classification
I have just returned from a visit to Bordeaux. There is just something about this place that makes it feel like the home of wine. And while ...Read More
Wineland Blank Slate Article: “Free Trade, Sa Needs Government Support”
My thoughts on Free Trade agreements appeared in the April issue of WineLand magazine.“There is no denying the wine industry’s impor...Read More
Experience – Essential to Marketing and Learning
This week a group of Burgundy Exchange students for this year’s Certificate in International Wine Trade (CIWT) visited La Motte Estate in ...Read More
Natural Disasters and Their Impact on Tourism
With tragic images of the effect of the ancient temples that make out the core of this country’s tourism industry suffered extensive damag...Read More
Cheering for Sustainability
The Drinks Business Green Awards Shortlist has just been announced. The team at La Motte is delighted to have made the shortlist in two cate...Read More
Tired of Terroir?
Doing my early morning news scan, I saw this article on how the trend towards terroir-driven wines is growing in California. It was my exact...Read More
Golf and Business – How to Get the Perfect Mix
Our business partners from Perfect China and their best performing sales representatives joined us in South Africa this week. Our joint vent...Read More
Smoke and Vegetation and Their Influence on Wine
The past week, beautiful Cape Town suffered the relentless destruction of veld fires. Starting in Muizenberg last weekend, only today did Ca...Read More
Why Measure
This week I met with my management teams to measure our brands’ performances and evaluate our strategies.Once again, I realised the im...Read More
Wine Fairs – Not Only for The Show
In a month, everyone who is anyone in the wine industry will attend the annual international wine fair Prowein in Düsseldorf, Germany. One ...Read More
Time Zones for South Africa – Pro’s and Con’s
While Eskom’s load shedding and daily schedule of power outages is still the number one topic of conversation in South Africa, it has been...Read More
South African Wine Grape Harvest 2015 – Initial Expectations
The 2015 wine grape harvest has started with a bang! At La Motte we usually bring in the first grapes at the end of January, even early Febr...Read More
Sunscreen for Your Sauvignon Blanc?
South Africa being second only to Australia when it comes to the incidence of skin cancer, we are the two countries that should be most dili...Read More
Trend Forecast For 2015
While every second blog and article at this time of year look at trends, I can’t resist also sharing a few thoughts on the subject – the...Read More
Blog Highlights For 2014
Another year has come and gone! It goes so quick that it is only when we reflect that we realised that we did indeed have 365 days in 2014! ...Read More
The Opportunity of Chinese Investment in SA Wine Industry
Chinese investors just bought 51% of Swartland Winery – a traditional co-operation wine cellar outside of Malmesbury in the Swartland wine...Read More
Suggesting A White South African Christmas
Family, friends and colleagues know about my passion for the Rhône and its beautiful red wines. Those elegant, yet lively blends of Syrah, ...Read More
Purchase Power Parity and The World’s New Largest Economy
The health of the Chinese economy is very important to us as a substantial part of our marketing efforts are focused on selling wine in Chin...Read More
Free Trade Agreements – Not A Free for All
A landmark free trade agreement between China and Australia was big news this week.As with all such agreements, there is an air of optim...Read More
Building A Successful International Wine Brand
Earlier today I shared a few thoughts with the Vlerick Alumni group from Belgian on what we have done to create successful international win...Read More
Award-Wining Chinese Wine and Japanese Whisky Causing Terroir Doubt?
This week The Drinks’ Business reported that “Whisky expert Jim Murray has named a Japanese single malt as the best whisky in the world ...Read More
Discouraging Tourist Destinations
Being passionate about South Africa and the Winelands and what we have to offer tourists, I never hesitate to share my thoughts on what make...Read More
The Future Potential of Chinese Cruise Liners
According to BreakingTravelNews.com, Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, has signed a memorandum of understanding wi...Read More
Conserving the Legacy of The Leopard in Gold!
What I love about the wine industry, is the opportunity it has given me personally to get more involved with two other interests of mine, ed...Read More
Marchesi Antinori – Tradition, Trends and Tourism
Being part of a family-owned wine estate that treasures history and heritage, our visit earlier this week to one of Italy’s oldest, bigges...Read More
Agriculture – The Foundation of Development in Africa
Africa’s constant struggle with famine is a well-known fact and the importance of agriculture in the provision of food, creating jobs and ...Read More
Moving the Earth for Wine
It has almost been a week since a magnitude-6.0 earthquake created destruction in the Californian winelands.While local wine producers t...Read More
Alcohol Consumption – China and South Africa
An article in The Economist, discusses how China’s alcohol consumption has increased in recent years due to an increase in income. Accordi...Read More
Terroir Importance Questioned
Just when you think a low fat diet will ensure longevity, a professor comes along and preaches high fat for the same result. While in South ...Read More
Proudly Bottled in South Africa – Eu Tariffs Positive for Job Creation in SA
The news of successful negotiations between SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the EU that improves access to the EU market f...Read More
Tourism – South Africa’s “New Gold”
On Wednesday, newly appointed Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom addressed Parliament saying that bold new initiatives are needed to further gr...Read More
Leaders Shape Leaders Through Thinking and Mentorship
Last week I chatted to Samarie Smith of Die Burger, the Afrikaans daily in the Western Cape.Here is the English translation.Leaders ...Read More
Stealing Wine – An Actual Crime
Being in the wine industry we are in the fortunate position that one almost never runs out of wine. And when you do, it is relatively easy t...Read More
Commanderie De Bordeaux En Afrique Du Sud Intronise New Commandeurs
On Wednesday evening we attended the Johannesburg Meeting of the Commanderie de Bordeaux en Afrique du Sud, hosted by the Maître of the org...Read More
The Buying Power of Women – A Force to Be Reckoned With!
For most of us men, women and their spending habits is a subject safer to steer away from. But, I read this interesting blog Does your bran...Read More
Customer Focus – An Integrated Marketing Approach
The Drinks Business today published an article on the Top 10 Tips for Marketing Drinks Brands.In the introduction, writer Joanna Davies ...Read More
Tourism Supports Foreign Investment in The Winelands
This week’s Landbouweekblad (an Afrikaans agricultural magazine), reports that since October 2013, 42 farms to the value of approximately ...Read More
Brand Only as Strong as Its Distribution
Fin24 asked me a few questions and I thought to share the article.Brand only as strong as its distributionHein Koegelenberg is no...Read More
Press Release: Six New Graduates Join the Ranks of Cape Wine Masters
Six new graduates who have completed the gruelling 5-year programme were awarded their certificates as Cape Wine Masters (CWM) at a function...Read More
How to Become a Master of Cape Wine
This afternoon we attended the Cape Wine Masters graduation luncheon of the Cape Wine Academy and Institute of Cape Wine Masters (ICWM)....Read More
Status, Celebrity and Product Placement – Still Selling in China.
Next week we will host 240 delegates from the Perfect China Sales Team in the Cape Winelands to introduce them to the beautiful new cellar a...Read More
Celebrity in Wine
This week, the daughter and granddaughter of world icon, Nelson Mandela, launched their own wine label in the Netherlands. The wines are cal...Read More
Afrasia Bank Cape Wine Auction Raises More Than R7 Million for Education in The Winelands
On Saturday, 15 March we attended the 2014 AfrAsia Bank Cape Wine Auction where R7.045 million was raised for education in the Cape Wineland...Read More
The Cape Wine Auction – Glamour with A Conscience
Even though those of us who live and work in the Cape Winelands know that our industry and day-to-day living are very much about community a...Read More
Opening the Door to China – Presentation to Wharton School
This afternoon I am speaking to delegates from the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Penns...Read More
Social Media in China – A Challenge We Cannot Ignore
Both for my personal use and for our companies, we have embraced Social Media – or New Media as we like to call the very much integrated m...Read More
South African Wine, Made for China
I chatted to CNN Marketplace Africa on the prospects and potential for South African wine in the Chinese market, how we have to compete in t...Read More
Top Wine Trends For 2014
I love trend-forecasting. Not only is it interesting to see whether the year lives up to what is predicted, but trends also reflect on what ...Read More
The Millennials – Worth Another Look
At the end of last year, I had a look at the various generations from Baby Boomers to the Millennials. We tried defining them and looked at ...Read More
My Wishes For 2014
How exciting it is to stand at the beginning of a new year – 365 days of opportunity lying ahead of us. And it is up to us to make every d...Read More
Hein On Wine – 2013’s Blog Highlights
I knew that it would happen, but writing my last blog for the year, I can’t believe how quickly 2013 has gone by. It seems hard to believe...Read More
Festive Blessings
Wishing you a very blessed Christmas!May this special time of year be filled with family and friends and may you enjoy love and peace an...Read More
Global Wine Consumption Trends, They’re Not What One Would Think
It’s been interesting to watch the wine scene grow in the USA since this was previously a more modest business sector in this country, a c...Read More
Wine Vision Key Learnings and Some Interesting Trends For 2014
Last Friday I introduced Wine Vision, the global wine industry conference, that wrapped up last week in London and out of which a few intere...Read More
Wine Vision: Interesting Industry Trends For 2014
Wine Vision, the global wine industry conference, wrapped up this week in London, and identified a key future trends for the global wine ind...Read More
Wine Trends for Younger Chinese Generations
Over the past few weeks we had a look at how wine consumption patterns differ between various generations – the Baby Boomers, the X Genera...Read More
Baby Boomers
Last week, encouraged by my birthday, I looked at generations, trying to understand the various groups and their supposed identities. Being ...Read More
Certainty Certified
When asked about the importance of certification on a label, he said: “How are you going to relay that message to the customer? Put it on ...Read More
Do You Get Worked Up Over Mark-Ups?
Yesterday I retweeted this interesting article, The world’s most marked-up wines.Mark-ups are renowned for getting both suppliers and ...Read More
Celebrating Our Heritage
On Tuesday, 24 September South Africa celebrates Heritage Day.In a country with eleven official languages and as much diversity when it ...Read More
Delegation of Almost 750 Chinese Guests Welcomed to The Cape Winelands
Perfect Wines of South Africa, a joint venture that was formed in 2011 between Hein Koegelenberg of Leopard’s Leap and Perfect China in Ya...Read More
Marketing Wine in China
China’s premium Fine Wine & Liquor Magazine published an interesting article on how the Spanish wine industry is approaching the Chinese m...Read More
China’s First Investment in The South African Wine Industry Announced
Following on their significant recent investments in the French wine industry, especially in Bordeaux, China has now made its first investme...Read More
Texan Wine? A Few Quick Facts on The Us Wine Industry
We are currently travelling through the US and spent last night in Dallas, Texas. Here I learned that they are about more than Stetsons, Ste...Read More
Establishing A Wine Brand
In my previous blog we discussed how famous wine brands from traditional winemaking countries have become so well-established by looking at...Read More
Famous Brands, Logos and Slogans
I came across this website listing what they see as the world’s most famous logos and it made me think about what makes a recognisable br...Read More
Investing in Wine
The City of Cape Town’s new liquor legislation that came into effect on 1 April, regulates that no-one may keep more than 150 litres of wi...Read More
Business in South Africa
South Africa is known as a tourist destination and of course tourism also plays an important role in the local economy. Last week we had a l...Read More
China and South Africa Capitalising on Brics Summit
The Brics summit is stealing the headlines this week and a number of very important bilateral trade deals between South Africa and China hav...Read More
South Africa In Brics
At the end of last week Business Day Live reported on South Africa’s negotiations to host the BRICS bank.“It is hoped the bank, with...Read More
Another (The Most Important?) Reason to Go Organic
This week, Lucy Shaw reported in The Drink’s Business on the danger of pesticides, “Pesticide residues found in 90% of wines”.Plea...Read More
South African Vintage Expectations For 2013
The South African 2013 harvest has started in all earnest and I had a look at the growing conditions and early expectations for this vintage...Read More
Trend Talk
This year for some reason I have taken much more notice of what is forecasted for the year ahead – mainly in my areas of interest of cours...Read More
Blessing of the Harvest at La Motte
With La Motte’s winemaking and cellar team at our Blessing of the Harvest this morning. We have started the 2013 Harvest with Pinot Noir a...Read More
Trend Talk
Perhaps it is because these days we share information so much easier via Social Media, but this year I am more aware of “trend-talk” tha...Read More
Festive Wishes
Best wishes for a very blessed Christmas and a Festive Season filled with peace and love. May this time of year remind us of those things th...Read More
Taking a “Perfect Storm” to the Chinese Wine Market
With a lot of hard work between ourselves and our agents, Aussino World Wines, 2012 turned out to be an exceptional year for our wine market...Read More
SA Wine Faces International Challenges in 2012
December is here and now 2012 is really rushing to its end. I am interested in how the SA Wine Industry has performed this year and this we...Read More
Welcoming China to the Winelands
Our focus on selling wine in China has been a regular topic in my blogs and while volumes are growing, it remains a difficult task. The aver...Read More
Making the New Media Landscape Work for Your Brand
Social media has become such a part of everyday life. Gone are the days where a company’s website was its only direct communication channe...Read More
The Cape Wine Academy Introduces Wine Lifestyle in Soweto
The Cape Wine Academy is the organiser of the TOPS Soweto Wine Festival. As leaders of Wine Education in South Africa, it is importa...Read More
Richemont Report Reaffirms Importance of Asian Market for Luxury Goods
At the Richemont AGM held in Geneva yesterday, sales for the five months ending 31 August 2012 was announced to have increased by 23% (actua...Read More
Leopard’s Leap Case Study
The Leopard’s Leap case study presentation that I gave at the Winebiz Conference on the marketing and sales of wine.http://www.slidesh...Read More
Chinese Winemakers Call For Probe into Eu Imports
Interesting article in the Want China Times about Chinese winemakers having filed a complaint to their Ministry of Commerce to demand an inv...Read More
Chinese Tone Down the Bling
Interesting article in a recent edition of The Wall Street Journal about Chinese consumers are shying away “from the most ostentatious log...Read More
The Importance of Wine Venues
These days the venue for buying and consuming wine is often just as important as the wine: look how many South African wine estates have awa...Read More
Putting China in Perspective
Management consultancy Accenture recently released a paper about Western companies needing to commit the required resources to succeed in Ch...Read More
Children’s Art Exhibition at Dennegeur
I recently had the privilege of attending an exhibition of children’s art at Dennegeur in Franschhoek. Dennegeur is a modern village built...Read More
The Bordeaux Tomorrow Plan
During my recent trip to France as part of the Commanderie de Bordeaux I was briefed on a strategy put together by the Bordeaux wine industr...Read More
Bordeaux’s Plan for Tomorrow
During my recent visit to France as part of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, a global grouping of wine lovers interested in the development and ...Read More
Twitter To Verify Age for Alcohol Brands
Making sure that alcohol marketing reaches people of a legal drinking age is a major challenge for alcohol brands in the social media space....Read More
Wealthy Chinese Wine Consumers Prefer Traditional Over Modern
Research from wine market analysts Wine Intelligence of “upper middle class” Chinese wine lovers found a overriding preference for tradi...Read More
Five-Year Plan for Chinese Wine
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Agriculture have jointly drawn up a five-year plan for ...Read More
Gala Dinner of the Grand Conseil Du Vin De Bordeaux
My wife Hanneli and I attended the the gala dinner of the Grand Conseil du Vin de Bordeaux at Château Lagrange, Saint Julien, last night. ...Read More
How First Growths Have Fared In 2012
Liv-ex, the London-based fine wine exchange, recently reported on how First Growths have fared in 2012 and it has been a downward trajectory...Read More
China ‘Fine Tuning’ Economic Policy
Vintners looking to import into China need to be aware of the Chinese economy. Li Daokui, a former advisor to the People’s Bank of China a...Read More
What Shanghai Means For SA Wine Brands
South African wine writer and commentator Neil Pendock wrote recently on his impressions of Shanghai and what it meant for South African win...Read More
Luxury Wineries Missing Social Media Opportunity
I recently cam across research by Canadian marketing professor Leyland Pitt whose research has found that “luxury wine brands without a so...Read More
People at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012
Above are photos of some of the many people I met at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012. The top one is with Ryk Neethling, marketing manager of Val ...Read More
Business Day Coverage of Call for Wine Trade Agreement With China
South African financial newspaper Business Day carried an article today about my call for the South African government to conclude a wine tr...Read More
Insights from Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012
The meetings and seminars continue to underscore the importance of China as an export destination for the world’s wines as well as provide...Read More
Neil Pendock Records My Unhappiness with Wine Taxes
I have previously spoken about my unhappiness with the taxes imposed on South African wines entering the Chinese market. Well-known South Af...Read More
The Team at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012
Above is a picture of myself and the La Motte and Leopard’s Leap team behind our stand at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012. From left is James Ta...Read More
Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012
Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2012, the international wine and spirits exhibition for Asia-Pacific, gets underway Tuesday in Hong Kong and is set to ...Read More
Where Individuals Store Their Wine
The Wall Street Journal wine writer Lettie Teague starts a recent column with “there are people for whom the wine cellar is every bit as i...Read More
Leopard’s Leap Is Winery of the Month
Leopard’s Leap is House and Leisure magazine’s Winery of The Month and is featured in their June edition. The layout of the article is f...Read More
Chinese Winemakers Seek To Compete With the French
The wine industry in China continues to evolve at a frenetic pace and witnessed by the various posts on my blog dealing with imports into Ch...Read More
Food24 Visits La Motte
The team from Food24 recently visited the estate and filmed several video clips for their website, including food demonstrations by our rest...Read More
Bottled Wine Imports into China Increase, But Slowdown Forecast
Using data from Chinese Customs, Meininger’s Wine Business International has provided some insights into bottled wine imports into China. ...Read More
Population of World’s Most Endangered Leopard Grows in China
The WWF recently sent out a press release that please me both because of the long association that Leopard’s Leap has with the protection ...Read More
La Motte Supports Cape Wine Masters
La Motte is a long time supporter of the Cape Wine Academy so it is always a pleasure to see new Cape Wine Masters emerging from the program...Read More
Chinese Demand Increases World Wine Trade By 11%
Bloomberg, the global business news agency, is reporting that World wine trade rose 11 percent by value to a record last year as imports int...Read More
Alcohol Marketing Restrictions in Europe
I recently blogged about potential legislation in South Africa restricting alcohol marketing and legislation. This legislative development i...Read More
Commanderie De Bordeaux Investiture and Tasting
The Commanderie de Bordeaux en Afrique du Sud met yesterday for the investiture of new Commandeurs of the Commanderie de Bordeaux en Afrique...Read More
Launching the 2011 Leopard’s Leap Family Collection Chenin Blanc
I am excited to announce the launch of the Leopard’s Leap 2011 Family Collection Chenin Blanc, available exclusively from our new tasting ...Read More
State of the Us Wine Industry 2012-2013
Above is a nice infographic put together by Silicon Vally Bank which has a speciality in servicing the US wine industry. The state of the US...Read More
The Blank Wine Label?
The South African government’s stated intention to further regulate the marketing and consumption of alcohol still remains unclear as to t...Read More
Bordeaux Looks Increasingly To China
I recently wrote that Chinese buyers of Bordeaux wines are now also becoming buyers of wine estates in the Bordeaux region. The trend of Chi...Read More
La Motte’s Sustainable Farming Practices
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNENrmpCl8EWine.co.za recently featured La Motte in an article about sustainable wine farming that also i...Read More
Harvest Outlook for Leopard’s Leap
In this video, I discuss the the 2012 harvest outlook for Leopard’s Leap Wines with winemaker Eugene van Zyl. The video is part of a serie...Read More
The Drinks Business Green Awards 2012
We are very honoured to have La Motte nominated in two categories at this year’s The Drink Business Green Awards, namely Green Company Of ...Read More
2012 Harvest Outlook for La Motte
This video is of myself and La Motte winemaker Edmund Terblanche discussing the 2012 harvest outlook for La Motte. The video is part of a se...Read More
South African Harvest 2012
Another video in my three-part series about the 2012 South African harvest. In this video I discuss the quality of the picked grapes with La...Read More
Social Media Is a Serious Business Tool
As most readers of this blog will, social media is a communication tool for La Motte, Leopard’s Leap and Liam Tomlin Food. Many other bran...Read More
Australian Wine Needs To Rethink Its Exports To China
Australia should promote expensive wines in China to change a perception that Australian wine is cheap and therefore not good, according to ...Read More
At Prowein 2012
The ProWein international wine and spirits trade fair is one of the most important trade fairs that I attend each year on behalf of La Motte...Read More
Latest Findings On Wine Preferences
Wine Intelligence produces valuable research for the global wine industry. Below are some of their latest findings based on interviews with ...Read More
Filming The Wine Bearer
Video is an essential part of marketing communication these days and, at La Motte, we make sure that all aspects of the brand are captured o...Read More
Partnership With Tsinghua University in China
On behalf of La Motte and Leopard’s Leap Wines, I recently signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s famous Tsinghua University ...Read More
Visit by CEO of Perfect China
Mr Woo Swee Lian, President of Perfect (China) and our partner in the L’Huguenot wine export deal to China, visited us in Franschhoek last...Read More
Launch of Leopard’s Leap Vineyards
Last night we hosted the first of two launch parties for Leopard’s Leap Vineyards, the new home for Leopard’s Leap Wines and Liam Tomlin...Read More
Is Aging of Wine an Outmoded Custom?
Wine writer Lettie Teague has written an interesting and informative article in The Wall Street Journal about whether aging wine has become ...Read More
Chinese Investors See Value of Vintages Drop
I came across this article recently in the China Daily that Chinese wine investors are dismayed to find that the value of some of their bott...Read More
South African Harvest 2012
The harvest season has begun in the winelands of South Africa and I am looking forward to a good harvest with excellent wines emerging from ...Read More
Selling South African Wine in Sweden
I am on my way back home after being part of a South African delegation that presented our wines to sommeliers in Gothenburg, Sweden. I am g...Read More
La Motte and Top Billing
La Motte has just been filmed for inclusion in an upcoming Top Billing show. It was great to host the Top Billing team at La Motte. In the p...Read More
Overview of Chinese Launch for L’Huguenot
I have just finished a very successful Chinese road show to launch the L’Huguenot wine with Perfect China, our partners in the Perfect Win...Read More
L’Huguenot Tasting in China
The road show launching the L’Huguenot wine in China is currently in Dalian where we did a tasting with 250 of the top sales people that w...Read More
Launching L’Huguenot In China
I am currently in China launching the L’Huguenot wine brand with our partners in the Perfect Wines of South Africa joint venture. One of t...Read More
Introduction to Champagne
I came across this nice introduction to Champagne written by Lettie Teague for The Wall Street Journal and thought I would share the article...Read More