For the second year running, an innovative digital competition has been launched that gives fans of Durbanville Hills Winery the opportunity to gain a greater sense of location of its vines without the restriction of geography. Called “Adopt A Vine”, the competition is part of an award-winning virtual campaign that offers consumers an opportunity to adopt a Durbanville Hills vine and then follow its growth throughout the year from growth to ripening to harvesting, all online. By logging on to http://adoptavine.durbanvillehills.co.za/ and adopting a vine, virtual vine “moms” and “dads” stand the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to experience a week-long Cape Winelands adventure, which also includes visiting and spending time at the Durbanville Hills Winery.
Durbanville Hills global marketing manager Lize-Marie Gradwell says: “The ‘Adopt A Vine’ project, which won recognition at this year’s Bookmark Awards – South Africa’s annual awards for excellence in online publishing and digital marketing – was conceptualized and implemented in association with our partner digital agency. It aims to bring the consumer closer to the winemaking process by creating a connection with the plant, fruit and bottled result via a Google Maps satellite view of selected vine blocks that consumers may adopt and follow. As vines develop, adopters receive email updates to view the progress of their vines online. They are informed of factors influencing vine development such as pest control, pruning and the weather, as the vine – and eventually the wine – is gradually shaped by nature and human intervention.”
As well as providing a satellite view of how nature is shaping the vines and subsequently the wines, the campaign aims to help educate consumers about the need to protect the endangered renosterveld, an important family of indigenous plants, which also grow on member farms in the immediate vicinity of the winery.
The winery recently played host to the winners from the first competition, which was introduced in October last year. The four winners, from the UK and Ireland, got to meet their adopted vines in person and learn first-hand about the art of winemaking from the Durbanville Hills winemaking team.
