South Africa is "very well positioned" to take market share from countries like Australia as it now claims to be able to supply quality wine at all price levels.

South Africa is "very well positioned" to take market share from countries like Australia as it now claims to be able to supply quality wine at all price levels.

Major South African wine producers at last week's Cape Wine exhibition in Cape Town were keen to demonstrate how they could answer all entry-level, mainstream and premium wine needs.

Gary Greenfield, managing director of Distell Europe, said South Africa was "well placed to fill the gap" that countries like Australia were leaving open. "We have got the wines, the ranges and the inventory at all price points," he told Harpers.

"All producers are commercially savvy and capable of offering quality at affordable prices. But the big difference now is we can offer them the full commercial package from entry level, through to mainstream and mid tier, to premium."

Paul Schaafsma, UK head of Accolade Wines, said South Africa had the "quality to produce what Australia can, but there is so much more variety there". "The winemakers are really open to new ideas, and keen to listen to UK buyers and to try and do things differently," he said.

Garreth Anderson, DBG's UK managing director, agreed, but warned South Africa would have to fight for every extra listing. "Four years ago the market was very different. South Africa then was really pumping," he said.

He added many major UK players now had full South African ranges and were not necessarily looking to change them. "The competition for us all is so much more intense and some buyers have not made the trip." He said brand South Africa also needed to create greater awareness among UK customers.

Troy Christensen, president of Accolade Wines, agreed building brand South Africa should be paramount in the industry's thinking. It needs to invest not only in the "quality of wine, but where it comes from". He said the "passion of the people and
the beauty of the place" is where South Africa should concentrate its marketing efforts to consumers.