The new face of SA wine exports is on show at the annual Nederburg Auction (below) as buyers from East Africa snap up SA wine with Nederburg brands in particular coming in for serious paddle action. I watched as Daniel Kang’u from Nairobi Serena Hotel bought 20 cases of the Nederburg 2001 Cab/Merlot, the first vintage made by Razvan Macici.

Stylish Raz ascribed the buoyant prices to his famous lucky red pants (below) at lunch.

Meanwhile the Alice in Wonderland of SA wine exports is confirmed by SAWIS figures for Spain. The sick man of Europe imported less than 9,000 litres of SA wine in the year to last July. This year, that number is almost 17 000 000 litres. Viva Espana! Viva bulk wine, Viva! as WOSA CEO Su Birch sings Abba favourites in her bath as the levy pays her salary. Of course most of this wine ends up in China where Spain rules the bulk market.

But Nederburg parent Distell have clearly learnt their lesson as lunch today was a delicious Thai chicken curry (below). Perhaps SA consumers should sell the Spaniards more bulk so they can increase their exports to Asia. Phuket may soon be awash with Spanish wine salesmen selling SA wine. Thank heavens the Nederburg Auction is still around to fly the proudly SA flag.