Brand new tasting room for Orange River Cellars in Upington

A new chapter for the Northern Cape wine industry commences early next year with the opening of Orange River Cellars’ brand new wine tasting venue in Upington. Construction work on this building in Schröder Street should be complete by the end of January, at which time Orange River Cellars will take its place as a fully-fledged player in the dynamic South African wine tourism arena.

According to Koos Visser, marketing manager at Orange River Cellars, the current tasting room located at the wine cellar in Industria Road has become too small, and apart from that, visitors aren’t keen to drive outside the town centre to taste wine.

“The new tasting room forms part of Orange River Cellars’ goal to bring our product closer to the consumer,” says Visser. “This started with new labels as well as a focused effort to raise the profile of our wines through advertisements, promotions, and visibility in national retail stores.”

“With a new tasting room, situated inside the town and easily accessible, we look forward to giving the thousands of tourists visiting Upington, as well as local residents, access to a wine tasting experience of international quality.”

The person who will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Orange River Cellars wine tasting venue is Wendy Scott, an experienced wine tourism specialist who has previously worked at Morgenster Wine and Olive Estate in Somerset West, one of the most highly rated wine farms in the Stellenbosch wine region.

Wendy Scott, manager of the new Orange River Cellars Wine Tasting Venue.

Wendy Scott, manager of the new Orange River Cellars Wine Tasting Venue.

“To be spearheading Orange River Cellars’ new wine tasting experience is the type of challenge that I feel truly privileged to have received,” says Scott. “The first challenge was obviously to move to a town where I had never been until my job interview! But after having been here for just over a month now I know that this task was meant for me. I grew up in the northern suburbs of Cape Town and the Boland, and this outstretched natural beauty is something I feel I’ve been missing my entire life. The warmth and friendliness of the people in Upington made it easier for me to trade Stellenbosch for the Northern Cape.”

Her second and biggest challenge, says Scott, is to ensure that Orange River Cellars now become one of the must-see tourism destinations in the Northern Cape.

“This unique wine region’s potential will truly come into its own with a fully-fledged wine tasting centre,” she says. “And the foundations have already been laid with the beautiful and modern venue that has been built, as well as the planning of the interior that will make it a pleasure for visitors to enjoy and purchase our wines.”

Since her arrival Scott has fulfilled the role of supervisor over the completion of the project, something she has really enjoyed. “Right from the get-go I had to negotiate with the municipality about our tasting room’s entrance to the street, and I have been privileged to work closely with the builders and architect as we complete the last finishes. This gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of people and to be involved at ground level from the outset.”

The new tasting venue has two cylindrical counters, which will each be manned by a wine tasting consultant. The complete range of Orange River Wines will be offered for tasting and all visitors will receive ample information on the range of wines and all things tourism related in the Northern Cape.

Under the building an existing empty swimming pool will be used as storage room for wine stock. Visitors can be assured that all the tasting wines will also be available to purchase.

An outside area will give visitors the opportunity to relax in tranquil surrounds, and there will also be an area where the kids can play while mom and dad broaden their wine knowledge.

“Today’s wine traveller does not only want to taste wine, buy a few bottles and then drive to the next destination,” explains Wendy. “They are looking for an experience, therefore we have gone to great lengths to make our tasting venue really attractive with among others large wall decorations which depict the region’s landscape and a good, high quality video. In addition, the wine tasting experience will be complemented by delicious snack portions of various regional foods. To source these regional delicacies is one of my current assignments, and a mouth-watering one I might add.”

Scott reckons that Orange River Cellars’ modern wine venue will become an asset for both the town and region. “Research shows that a local wine industry gives a definite tourism advantage to any region,” she says. “With this new tasting room Orange River Cellars will help to further establish the Northern Cape as one of South Africa’s premier wine regions, and will give people yet another reason to visit this beautiful region. The tasting venue will also be a big injection for the local tourism industry, so everyone can look forward to the doors opening next year.”