Sip on Soweto Wine Festival

Learn more about one of South Africa’s best loved products – its delightful wine industry – at the Soweto Wine Festival. Almost a thousand wines will be exhibited.
CONNOISSEURS of the good life are set for a sensory explosion at the annual Soweto Wine Festival, where they will be able to sample a vast array of fruitfully mature tastes.

A vairiety of exhibitorsExhibitors will be showcasing new productsOver 950 wines will be exhibited at this year’s three-day festival, running from 1 to 3 September at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus.
It is expected to attract more than 8 000 visitors, who will be able to taste the product from the many exhibiting cultivars, as well as interact with lifestyle brands and feast on meals at the food court, which will host local Sowetan restaurants.

The festival is part of Joburg’s Arts Alive International Festival, which runs throughout September, showcasing everything from visual art to music, from dance to theatre, and everything in-between.

Speaking about this year’s festival, Mnikelo Mangciphu, a co-founder of the Soweto Wine Festival and owner of Morara Wine Emporium in Soweto, says: “We are again upping our game this year to cater to the expected crowds.

“The festival now caters to a large and broad market of intelligent and educated black wine drinkers who have been drinking wine as part of their lifestyle for over six years. In fact, 51 percent of the festival visitors fit into this premium wine drinking market. Now, only approximately 11 percent are new drinkers. Just six years ago these figures were reversed.”

Tops
The festival has signed up a three-year headline sponsor with the country’s largest liquor outlet, Tops at Spar, which is expected to add serious punch to its growth.

SampleWine education and testingMarilyn Cooper, the joint founder of the Soweto Wine Festival and managing director of the Cape Wine Academy, the organisers of the festival, says: “We are very excited at securing Tops at Spar as our headline sponsor. This event, and therefore market, grows from strength to strength every year, and Tops adds a new dimension that is important to this growth.
“Soweto Wine Festival is becoming the most important wine educational event in South Africa which, by the sheer fabulousness of the residents in Soweto and surrounding areas, is also the trendiest lifestyle event.”

Speaking about his group’s involvement, the chief executive of Tops, Ray Edwards, adds: “Tops at Spar have, from inception, been on the cutting edge of innovation and now believe the time is right to begin an association with the Soweto Wine Festival. This market is a long-ignored opportunity and we look forward to improving our brand equity through this headline sponsorship.”

This year, the popular Nederburg Wine and Food Tasting Theatre will be presented by the Nederburg winemaker, Tariro Masayiti. He fell in love with wine at his very first taste, and will be on hand to share his passion and offer visitors knowledge to expand their wine tasting.

Wine and food paring
He will also use red, white and dessert wines to encourage people to complement wine with food that will represent the five taste sensations.

Other major sponsors of the festival are DSTV, City Press, Kaya FM, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and Vodacom. There will also be luxurious, interactive wine lounges from Distell’s 4th Street, Nederburg, KWV’s Café Culture, DGB’s The Saints and Distell’s JC le Roux.

WinesA wide range of wines will be on showVodacom’s executive head of corporate citizenship, Suraya Hamdulay, explains: “The core value behind the Soweto Wine Festival was to introduce South Africa’s quality wines to the majority of the population, and spread the message that wine is not only for a few South Africans to enjoy.
“Enjoying wine should be a way of life for all South Africans. Today we continue to keep the wine flowing by encouraging, educating and growing wine drinkers in Mzansi.”

Babalwa Shota, the editor of City Press’s 7 lifestyle magazine, says that the festival began the trend of wine appreciation. Seven years on, there are many more festivals targeting black consumers, but none that matches the thrill of this one.

During this year’s festival, the Cape Wine Academy Careers and Business Education section will introduce visitors to careers and education in wine. There will also be a range of social and professional wine courses for individuals and tertiary institutions.

The festival will be open on Thursday and Friday from 6pm to 10pm, and on Saturday from 5pm to 9pm. Ticket prices range from R100 to R280 and are available online www.webtickets.co.za as well as at the Morara Wine Emporium in Soweto.

For more information visit the official website.