The 2023 SA New Wine Writer of the Year Competition of the South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) – which also runs the Veritas Awards among others – is in its 11th year and aims to identify smart new voices in the wine industry.
This year’s competition comprises two categories, one for wine-related articles and one for blogs. The respective winners will each receive prize money of R2 500, while the overall winner will pocket R15 000.
“We are delighted that the competition continues to find new wine writing talent in our vibrant industry,” says the organisation’s chairperson, Christo Pienaar.
“Our media partner, WineLand Media, will publish the winning articles and blogs with guidance from the editorial staff. Veritas will also continue collaborating with the Departments of Journalism at the University of Stellenbosch, University of Cape Town and Cape Technicon to encourage their students to also engage in writing about wine.
“This competition provides a new avenue for writers and bloggers to express their wine-related ideas and thereby inspire others to join the conversation in this dynamic field. As an industry stakeholder we strive to cultivate wine interest and knowledge among wine consumers,” adds Pienaar.
Says WineLand Media editor, Wanda Augustyn, “The wine industry is such an exciting field to work in. As the voice of the winelands, WineLand Media has a responsibility to find inspiring new, young voices to write about wine. We need to give them a platform to influence responsibly and help create an informed audience that fully appreciates the magic of the wine industry.”
Entrants are to complete one or both of the following assignments:
- Magazine print article – 1 000 words in English or Afrikaans
- Blog web article – 600 words in English or Afrikaans
The topics comprise:
- The challenges and opportunities for the wine industry in the 21st century
- The environmental and economic impact of the wine industry at both global and local scale
- How do consumers perceive natural wine?
- Global wine war: New versus Old
See full details below.
The competition is open to all South African citizens or residents aged 18 - 35 years. No full-time, established wine writers or previous wine writer winners are eligible to enter.
The entries will be judged by a panel of experienced and distinguished South African wine writers. Participants are to present their theses in MS Word format to admin@veritas.co.za, along with a completed entry form and short CV, stating details of possible previous wine-writing activities.
The closing date for entries is Monday 20 November 2023 and the announcement of the winners will be on 7 December. Requests for entry forms or any enquiries may be directed to the SANWSA via info@veritas.co.za.
Topics for Veritas Wine Writer of the Year 2023
- Write a Magazine Article in the third person of 1 000 words in Afrikaans/English on one of the topics below within the context of the wine industry. The article can be a profile, investigation, lifestyle, technology or current affairs treatment of the topic. Include perspectives of at least three credible sources in the wine value chain.
- Write a Blog Web Article of 600 words on any of the topics below.
The article can be a profile, investigation, lifestyle, technology or current affairs treatment of the topic.
Here is the list of topics to choose from:
1. The challenges and opportunities for the wine industry in the 21st century.
You can discuss how the wine industry is adapting to climate change, consumer preferences, technological innovation and regulatory changes. You can also explore how the wine industry is facing competition from other beverages, such as beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.
2. The environmental and economic impact of the wine industry at both global and local scale.
You can examine how the wine industry contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, land use, biodiversity loss and pollution. You can also analyse how the wine industry affects employment, income, trade, tourism and innovation.
3. How do consumers perceive natural wine?
What are the factors that influence consumers’ information, preference, and consumption behaviour? You can use the well-known article by Vecchio et al, as a starting point and compare the results from Italy and Spain with the experience of three South African producers. You can also explore the challenges and opportunities for producers of natural wine and marketers and how they can communicate their value proposition to consumers.
4. Global wine war: New versus Old
The changes in wine quality and wine types have largely affected he wine market for both old and new producers. Here writers can focus on technology and innovation. For example, how New World producers apply modern technology in viticulture versus old school wine producers who operated at a more labour-intensive level. The impact on production costs can be included here.
For more information, contact the SANWSA/Veritas office at tel 021 8631599, e-mail info@veritas.co.za or visit www.veritas.co.za.
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