WATCH: Wine lovers celebrate local vintages at Proudly South African Wine Expo

Wine enthusiasts and makers gathered at the Prison Break Market this past weekend for the annual Proudly South African Local Wine Expo.

The event, held from 26 July to 28 July in Johannesburg, provided a unique platform for wine lovers, industry professionals, and retailers to explore the richness of local wine offerings.

The expo kicked off on Friday with a brief media launch attended by esteemed guests, including MEC Lebogang Maile.

Speaking at the event, Maile expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “We want to be part of similar initiatives in many other industries. Our economy is not in a constant state, and the cost of living and doing business is too high.

“Finance for small and medium enterprises is crucial. This initiative is important to build an entrenched culture of entrepreneurship.”

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Growing the Local wine industry

Attending the Proudly South African Wine Expo for the first time, Antoinette Rapizi, director of Radimancy Vineyards, shared her excitement.

“Radimancy means reciprocal love, derived from Latin poetic words. We’ve been in the industry since our first vintage in 2021, and it’s our debut at this expo. We’re thrilled to share our story,” she told The Citizen.

Radimancy Vineyards focuses on Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, with grapes sourced from the Cape South Coast and Stellenbosch, respectively.

“Our Chardonnay has unique savoury notes due to the cooler climate of the Cape South Coast,” she added.

“Our label features my husband, our golden retriever Brave, and me. We wanted something personal, reflecting our relationships and our love for wine-making. This love is evident in the quality of our wines.”

Discussing challenges, Rapizi noted the difficulties in branding and marketing.

“The wine industry is tight-knit, making it hard for newcomers to establish themselves. Despite our knowledge, penetrating the local market has been tough. Larger brands dominate, so our goal is to make smaller brands like ours known. It’s been a rewarding yet frustrating journey.”

Likonelo Maliehe from Koni Wines shared similar sentiments, highlighting how the expo and other exhibitions have helped grow her business.

“Previously, business was a bit slow, but through different exhibitions, we have grown. We do expos in the UK, Germany, and Botswana. We are based in Cape Town in the Paarl region and distribute across South Africa,” she said.

Proudly SA CEO, Eustace Mashimbye, expressed satisfaction with this year’s turnout.

“The Proudly SA Local Wine Expo has been a tremendous success, exceeding our expectations. The presence of so many talented women winemakers and the enthusiastic response from both attendees and retailers highlights the strength and promise of our local wine industry.”

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