Is Pinotage the latest casualty of President Zuma’s botched replacement of the SA minister of finance last week? The Financial Times reports today that UK banking behemoth Barclays is likely to sell ABSA. “Barclays is considering whether to break with almost 100 years of history by selling some or all of its African banking operations as part of a review led by Jes Staley, its new chief executive. The Barclays review comes after investor confidence in South Africa was shaken by President Jacob Zuma’s decision to change his finance minister twice in less than a week at a time when the economy is under severe stress.”

ABSA sponsors Pinotage to the tune of well over R1 million each year. But if ABSA is sold to Stranded Bank, Nerdbank or Worst National, the spotlight on Pinotage will likely blow a fuse. Stranded have enough wine on their plate through the disastrous investment in the Platter wine label guide through Diners Club. Worst National have the scandal-prone Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group hanging around their necks while Nerdbank has the Cape Winemarketers Guild to contend with plus the Toasty Wine Show.

The FT reports “Barclays had planned to rebrand the Absa branch network under its own colours after increasing its stake in the Johannesburg-listed entity from 55.5 to 62.3 per cent by merging its African activities three years ago. But the rebranding was recently shelved.” Could the demise of Pinotage be an unexpected consequence the president will approve of? For teetotal JZ is the only member of the ANC who does not drink.