World Cup gives South Africa’s wine a boost

“I’ve got the best commute in the world,” Fairview Estate’s chief wine maker Anthony De Jager says with a smile as he watches his amiable pack of dogs run excitedly through the vineyards.

The sound of dried leaves crunching underfoot follows him as he wanders down the straight rows of vines. It is winter now and harvesting has come to a halt, giving the vines a rest and following a cycle of cultivation that has endured in this valley near the Western Cape town of Paarl for more than 300 years.

Not much has changed in the view of the stately mountains and picturesque vineyards, but football fever is running as high here as in the rest of the country and De Jager has seen a spike in wine sales to countries whose teams are playing in the World Cup.

“I think this whole World Cup and the whole focus of the entire planet for this period is fantastic for us and for our wine industry,’ De Jager says as he looks out over the valley. “We really need it and we need to be able to show the world, not only South Africa, not our people and not only sport, but this side of it as well.”


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