September Shock

Shocking September statistics from Vinpro (below).  Exports to France are up 200% to 30.5 million litres. Don’t they have enough of their own wine they can’t sell?  Exports to Italy are up 8150% and Spain 196557%. This is madness.  We’re watching the melt down of SA fine wine as the bulk behemoth swallows the brave export efforts of producers.  Not long now before straw Su’s and Andre’s are burnt in effigy as accountants toyi-toyi in Dorp Street in front of WOSA Palace as the exporter’s association are champions of bulk exports.  

This 70 million litres of SA wine for three major European wine producers is not for consumers in those countries.  Do you seriously think Italians in Milan will drink Meerlust Merlot?  That Spain will embrace the Swartland?  That Paris will say oui to Pinotage?

vinpro

But I for one am not surprised at the triumph of bulk. I’ve been trying to ship Pinotage to Christian Bedat in Bordeaux for a Pinotage tasting to coincide with the Springbok rugby test match in Paris. The best I’ve been able to come up with:

Naughty Boy of SA Wine Mixed Collection Case x 6 @ €60 = €360
Neil Pendock’s Lemoenfontein Pinotage Case x 10 @ €30 = €300

Wine cost total €660
Transport to door for 16 cases of wine: €870
Grand total € 1,530

The numbers are ugly. Shipping is way more than the cost of the wine. I’ve given up asking the Pinotage Association to help as they don’t. Let’s hope the logistics of bulk wine are easier on the pocket.