Date/Time
Date(s) - 19/06/2024
All Day
Categories
RED WINES ON THE MEDAL TRAIL
The third decade of the 21st century is proving to be a difficult era for wine producers everywhere. Per capita consumption is falling, so are wine prices. Reduced demand at the more premium levels takes some of the “fat” out of profit margins; insofar as everyday wines are concerned, there is obviously a floor price below which producers cannot go and still remain profitable.
Now, more than ever, the results of the 2024 Trophy Wine Show – brought to you by Investec – have a role to play for producers of Cape wines. In a market where domestic sales are under considerable pressure and exports remain fragile, success at the country’s most credible competition can be life-changing for wineries. Astute wine buyers know that a medal – any medal – awarded by the Trophy Wine Show judges is a guarantee of wine quality. To win one of the fewer than 20 golds awarded to current release wines is akin to hitting the jackpot*.
*In addition to the sales at the winning wineries, over R2m worth of wine from the 2023 Trophy Wine Show sold through the designated retailer – Port2Port – within days of the results being announced. The Trophy Wine Show generates more sales than any other competition or wine guide.
“We pride ourselves in partnering with our clients and creating experiences for those who never settle for ordinary. As headline sponsor of the 2024 Trophy Wine Show, we are not only proudly supporting South Africa’s exceptional wine industry, but we are giving our clients access to something they can’t get anywhere else, from first access to curated cases of award-winning wines to masterclasses and public tastings,” said Investec’s head of Private Banking, Itumeleng Merafe.
A feature of the laureates at the Trophy Wine Show is the extraordinary value they offer wine-drinkers. Many are less expensive than the fashion wines which retail for often eye-wateringly high prices. Wine producers often treat price as a proxy for quality: the higher the price, so this logic goes, the better the wine. The Trophy Wine Show is a benchmarking exercise in which quality alone determines the final outcome. All the wines are judged blind – labels out of sight. The panellists judge only what is in the glass: they have no access to the marketing messages generated by the wineries. Every submission is scored and argued over; every result is achieved through discussion and consensus; every judge carries joint and several responsibility for the final score.
Public Tastings showcasing the trophy, gold and silver medal winners are happening in Sandton on 12 June and in Cape Town on 19 June. Tickets at webtickets.