So the grey shoes of Vinpro and SALBA have succeeded in muzzling SAWIS, the industry body which manages information about SA wine.

As mentioned in the October 2013 Wine Industry Information, SAWIS, as requested by VinPro and SALBA,
made the price ranges of bulk wine sold by cellars domestically and exported, as well as grape prices
(producer cellar and trade) access controlled. This information, as well as the estimated grape and wine
harvest, harvest, sales and stock estimate, production and market predictions, stock levels and VinPro
district conditions will from now on only be available to registered SAWIS members.

Why? Already the information available on the SAWIS website is way below industry norms in terms of presentation. Just what can be achieved using infographics is demonstrated by Jancis Robinson on the Financial Times site. Here is her presentation of wine exports:

SAWIS presents the SA numbers in clunky XL spreadsheets that roll off the sides of the screen. Of course the big number, how much money SA exporters make from burgeoning bulk wine exports, is not revealed. WOSA and progressive industry players should agitate for an overhaul of data presentation at SAWIS and challenge Vinpro on unwanted interference at the Vinpro open day next month. Vinpro kokkedoor Rico Basson needs to get back to his knitting and leave politics to the ANC and infographics to the nerds.