ALLISTER KREFT - WineStats - now Under The Influence
Working with wine.co.za right at the start of my career was such a wonderful experience.
Judy and Kevin are just the most fantastic people and also a perfect duo in business. We pioneered a consumer behaviour research project at the cellar door, called WineStats. I was an absolute rookie in all things business and technology, but had some strong opinions on both! Judy shaped the business side, and Kevin the technology elements, and I’ll never forget the thrill of meeting South Africa’s top winemakers and wine minds, and sharing our ideas, and then putting them into practice. It was such a rewarding experience to take an idea and get it moving forward quickly with the wine.co.za team.
Apart from the hustle and bustle of working together, they also instilled a healthy respect for a glass of wine and a Judy-catered luncheon! After all, why are we in this industry if we can’t sample the subject of our commercial interests?
Judy and Kevin, your values shine through in your business and I can only congratulate you and admire what you continue to achieve in this industry. Thanks so much for having me as part of the wine.co.za family in the early days. Keep up all the amazing work and ethos you continue to lead with. I learnt so much and am grateful to you both.
MADELEINE STENWRETH - Master of Wine, Was WOSA Sweden, Sommelier & buyer of SA wine for Systembolaget
Happy Birthday Judy and Kevin and team!! A quarter of a century and you guys have never been more alive and kicking!
Wine.co.za has always been such an integral part of the South African wine community, since my days of living in Paarl and working at the Grande Roche which is almost 25 years ago now too! Judy´s gentle warming smile and attentive and investigating character and the energetic technical and solution driven miracle, Kevin making it all work from behind the scenes. Always on their toes, never tiring of communicating their passion for the South African wine industry and supporting its producers while feeding the customers with inspiration.
Wine.co.za was an huge inspiration to me when I started creating a wine-database for the Swedish WOSA website back in the days (2002-2004), when I was chasing importers and producers for technical information on their wines which were listed in our market to gain access to quick valuable information about a specific wine through a “click” on our Swedish website.
I have been a subscriber of their weekly newsletter since I can remember, as it has made it possible for me to stay on top of what is happening in the SA wine industry on a weekly basis. They have never tired of constantly improving their offering and value added proposals while technically ahead of the game. They are way ahead of any other country in their commitment to spreading the news in the way they do.
To see how they have created an online offering with a mix of wine according to themes was a great highlight for me to see when I visited their office a few weeks ago. Creating sales for wineries while inspiring and educating customers is a great way forward, a win-win situation for all parts involved.
HARRY MELCK - Cape Wine Master)
As a relative newcomer to the wine industry and being a sentimental person I really appreciate the little things, the gestures, the thoughts. In 2018 when I graduated as a Cape Wine Master, Judy came up to me to congratulate me and gave me a corkscrew as a gift. A simple gesture but a symbol for me of getting through the programme. That gift, and a little bit of wine.co.za, goes everywhere with me and has opened more bottles of wine than I would like to admit.
Subsequently, I have seen Judy at nearly every PR event I have been to which just shows how hard she works to get the news of the wine industry to you. I receive the wine.co.za newsletter every morning so I can be kept up to date on the pulse of industry. The website also hosts an enormous amount of information and has often helped me when researching specific wine related queries.
Thanks Judy and the whole team at wine.co.za.