Things just get better and better for Franschhoek in its bid to establish itself as the St. Emilion of SA wine. Not. First the wine writing fiasco then Wine Spectator declares Stellenbosch the culinary capital of the winelands and now IBETA Bulk Trading Floor™ announces a bulk wine trading exchange to be based at Allée Bleue’s Le Grand Hall. IBETA, easily confused with WIETA.

As the press release notes “this dynamic concept gives winemakers the opportunity winemakers to enter their uncontracted tanks and lots (any volume and from any vintage) three times a year (June, September and December) for a two-week window period to be traded via the IBETA Bulk Trading Floor™.”

Franschhoek has perfected the sleight of hand whereby bought-in grapes are magicked into Franschhoek award-winning wines and now the Kentucky Fried Chickens have come home to roost with a vengeance. Let’s hope buyers from Aldi and Lidl and those Russians buying cheap white to distil into vodka will at least eat at Le Quartier Francais and keep a low profile during Bastille Day and the bubbly festival.