David Cope and Simon Wibberley, the Yin and the Yang of Bree Street booze, were right on the money when they launched Alphabetical, a multi-appellation red blend which by definition, will never be able to joint the latest acronym in SA wine, CVC, which Moneyweb intimates seems to have been set up, at least in part, in reaction to WIETA, another acronym being pushed by VinPro which looks like an acronym, but ain’t.

“In certain cases it seems CVC members are happy to bypass some industry bodies. Wieta, the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association has not found favour with everyone. ‘My standards are higher than those of Wieta,’ says [Johann] Rupert. ‘I do not see the need to have labour relations bedevilled by what is really a semi-political body.’ ”

Unable to agree on an icon style, an ethical trading standard or the place for bulk exports, it looks like SA wine has decided to play Scrabble. Here is a case of acronyms. Confused yet?

bawsi Black Association of the Wine and Spirit Industry

bawusa Black Workers’ Agricultural Sector Union

cvc Cape Vintner Classification

cwm Cape Wine Master

fawu Food and Allied Workers’ Union

ipw Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) is a voluntary environmental sustainability scheme established by the South African wine industry in 1998

piwosa Premium Independent Wineries of South Africa

salba SA Liquor Brandowners’ Association

wbwe World Bulk Wine Exhibition leading SA export conference held annually in Amsterdam

wieta Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association

wfp WFP strives to strengthen the capacity of women who live and work on farms to claim their rights and fulfil their needs

wosa Wines of SA, a mouthpiece for exporters