Kevin and I started as the tech-savvy disruptors of the wine world; now, we are the ones holding the archives.
Reflecting on three decades of headlines is a trip down memory lane that proves one thing: we might be "retirement age" on paper, but in wine years, we’re just reaching our prime, just the right vintage.
But I’m not going to lie; it is kind of weird being the same age as old people!
1996 was a busy year
In politics
- Nelson Mandela steps down as the first democratically elected president of South Africa and signs the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa into law.
- An elected Palestinian parliament is formed – the first to be democratically elected. And how is it possible that it is now 30 years later and they are still not recognised as a country?
In music
- The popular band, Take That, announced that they are splitting up. The UK government set up counselling phone lines for fans. Not surprising, as Robbie Williams was one of the group members!
- The Spice Girls release their debut single "Wannabe".
In the world of science and literature
- The Hubble Space Telescope photographs the first surface photos of Pluto.
- George R.R. Martin publishes his novel A Game of Thrones, the first in his series A Song of Ice and Fire.
And ... in the world of wine
In the beginning
In the mid-90s, as South Africa stepped into a new dawn of democracy, the internet was a frontier few had explored. Kevin Kidson and I arrived at this frontier not as wine insiders, but as architects of information.
With a background in the high-stakes world of IT, specialising in systems thinking, design, programming, data warehousing, business intelligence and networking, we saw the web not as a novelty, but as a bridge. Alongside Kevin’s lifelong friend and creative strategist, Chris van Rooyen, we began searching for an industry that needed a "digital on-ramp."
While consulting at KWV, the vision clicked into place. Unlike other products, wine is a living narrative. It renews with every harvest, and its stories are infinite. In August 1996, Kevin registered the domain wine.co.za. While originally intended to be part of a broader network, the soul of the wine industry proved so compelling that it became the team’s singular focus. By 1998, WineNet (Pty) Ltd was officially established as the platform's permanent home.
Stepping out of the corporate world into the terrifying space of starting up our own business and having a baby simultaneously clearly did not phase us as much as I think it would now!
Kevin with our eldest daughter Leila while developing it all!
The pulse of the industry
A database is a skeleton, but news is the heartbeat. To ensure the industry had a voice, Kevin partnered with Gary Shearer from The Natural Corporation (forerunner of Cape Classics) and launched The Wine Journal. This collaboration evolved into the current Wine News ecosystem, launched with the literary guidance of our first editor, Lesley Beake.
Mapping the global stage
Following the deregulation of the wine industry in 1994, South African producers found themselves in a brave new world. They had the wine, but they lacked the map.
The South African Wine and Spirits Export Association (SAWSEA, the precursor to WoSA) recognised that wine.co.za's technical expertise was exactly what the industry needed to go global. Commissioned by SAWSEA leadership, Kim Green and Graham de Villiers, the wine.co.za team, including long-serving specialist Michelle Ladewig, began the monumental task of analysing the international markets and the country portfolios we subsequently produced for the UK, USA, Germany, Japan and others laid the foundation for the industry's export plans.
Drawing on the academic foundation of Cathy Brewer’s Cape Wine Masters thesis, "How to Export Wine from South Africa", we updated and refined these processes, which guided South African wine onto the world stage.
The country portfolios developed for SAWSEA.
30 years of connection
Today, wine.co.za remains rooted in that original vision: Using systems thinking to tell human stories.
What began as an "on-ramp" for an industry in transition has evolved into the reliable central hub where that industry meets, grows, and shares its success with the world.
We would not be where we are without the support of our many friends, our clients, the industry, and, of course, our wonderful team. A huge thank you to all!
For more on wine.co.za and our 30 years, click HERE. Keep an eye on our 30th Birthday Spotlight for more stories.
Let the countdown begin! This article is the first in our Countdown series – one per month till August, when we celebrate our 30th birthday.