“You can’t get away with wine tastings only any more” said Charles Back whose Fairview Winery must be the most popular in SA. “You have to create an experience. African tourism is the way forward – just have a look at what’s happening in Johannesburg. Tourism, not agriculture, is the future for the Western Cape and those tourists will be domestic and African.”

Chas reckons its total economic devastation and depression for many years yet, but he’s investing like a hedge fund fundi in his Spice Route operation (shown above): craft brewery, distillery, farm stall, chocolatier,… with authenticity and artisanality a common golden thread. SA wine, on the brink of a disastrously expensive and out of touch Cape Wine 2012 extravaganza would be well advised to ignore the drunken cries from the Dorp Street Disco Doppers and follow the example of Mr. Back. Opening a wine marketing office in Maputo rather than Manhattan, would be a good start.