South Africa must not look to “copycat” other wine regions around the world, but follow its own path to grow, according to a leading US wine investor in the country.

Charles Banks of US wine company and investment house, Terroir Capital and Cultivate, said he was convinced to buy in to the country because of the talent and passion of its wine community.

He also thought there was “lots of room for improvement” and to build on South Africa’s success.

But nowhere else in the world offers the same ratio of quality wines to best value prices, added Banks.

It has also the opportunity to become the “model” winemaking region in the world in terms of its environmental, sustainable and ethical winemaking practices.

That is why, he stressed, it was vital South Africa, followed its own strategy and stood out for being something different to the rest of the wine industry. “We have to make our own path and not follow what other counties are doing,” he said. Or to use an ice hockey metaphor, “to skate where the puck is going to be”.

“We have to work every dag to make better wines,” added Banks.

He also called on South African wineries to follow Robert Mondavi’s lead in the Napa Valley and look to champion the whole region at every opportunity and not just their own property.