For centuries, the center of the commercial universe was the Mediterranean. To the merchants of Venice and Genoa, these waters were the "Established Way." They knew every port, every tax collector, and every prevailing wind. It was comfortable, it was prestigious, and, for a long time, it was enough.
But while the Italians clung to their shrinking pond, a few visionaries looked past the Pillars of Hercules toward the "Sea of Darkness" – the Atlantic. The fear of leaving the known coastline was palpable; maps ended in jagged edges labeled Terra Incognita. Yet, those who braved the unknown didn't just find new land; they redefined the wealth of nations. They traded the congested, middleman-heavy routes of the Old World for the direct, explosive potential of a New World. The rest, as they say, is history.
Today, the South African wine industry stands at its own Pillars of Hercules.
For generations, our "Mediterranean" has been the United Kingdom and Europe. These markets are our heritage and our comfort zone. We know the buyers in London and the distributors in Amsterdam by their first names. We love going to the Zuiderkerk. I certainly did! Prowein events in Europe are an annual pilgrimage for many.
But let’s be candid: the Mediterranean is becoming a trap. We are operating in mature, stagnant economies characterized by flat growth, rising excise burdens, and a fierce price-compression – it's a busy, noisy marketplace and it's hard to get noticed.
To remain predominantly tethered to the European export market is no longer a "safe" strategy.
The horizon is east
While the West settles into a period of economic caution, the Asian frontier is undergoing a tectonic shift in wealth and taste. This isn't just about one country; it’s about the high-velocity growth of the ASEAN bloc and the emerging economic powerhouse of a massive middle class.
These are not consumers waiting to be "educated" by the West; they are already discerning, increasingly sophisticated, and they know exactly what they want. Their expectations are high, and they have the capital to back them up. If we are to win here, we cannot treat this market as a dumping ground for surplus stock. You have to bring your A-game and your best wine every single time.
If all this isn't enough to convince you, consider this. Argentina wine exports to Thailand are three times that of South Africa. That just can't be right. Realistically, it's a target to aim for and even then we are still not in "fair market share" territory.
Need more data? Bangkok, which is bigger than London, has more Michelin Star restaurants than San Francisco, Rome or Milan. It's regarded as a foodie mecca and increasingly a global hub of cool – so where are the South African wines?
The power of the choir
However, no single estate can storm this frontier alone. Our strength lies in a uniquely South African trait: our ability to unite. When we stand apart, we are soloists in a storm; but when we coordinate our efforts, our combined voices are like a great choir – a resonant, unstoppable force that commands attention. This is when South Africans come into their own!
We are seeing this spirit of "togetherness" catch fire globally. Look at the emergence of #TheLekkerNetwork on LinkedIn. It is a digital testament to the fact that South Africans, scattered across every corner of the globe, consistently box above their weight. Whether in finance, technology, or rugby, we have a knack for punching through the noise. Wine is no exception. By leveraging this global diaspora and our collective energy, we gain the scale necessary to move the needle in markets as vast as Asia.
The long game: A campaign, not an event
But let us be clear: this is a campaign, not a "one-event wonder."
Many South African wine producers look to me for the security of wine importation commitments before coming here to Thailand. Candidly, it will never work like that.
I like to say this to people: "You don’t catch a trophy fish with the first cast, but that doesn’t stop you from fishing, does it?" It simply means you refine your technique, understand the currents, and cast again. Success in Asia requires a multi-year mindset. We cannot fly in for one trade show, pour a few glasses, and expect the gates to open. We must build relationships, foster trust, and maintain a consistent presence. The explorers of the 15th century didn't turn back when the first island they found wasn't mainland India; they established outposts, learned the trade winds, and stayed the course. We must do the same.
Diversification is our defense
The greatest risk to our industry is not the volatility of the East; it is the inertia of the North. We have centuries of winemaking pedigree in our soil, but our strategy must be as bold as our liquid.
It is time to untie the ropes. We must stop fighting for the scraps of a saturated European table and start setting our own stalls in the fastest-growing region on earth. The Atlantic explorers didn't wait for the maps to be finished before they set sail; they went out and claimed the future.
We have the grit, we have the quality, and – as Dricus du Plessis famously reminds us – "Hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie." They don't know what we know. They don't know the depth of our resolve or the magic in our bottles. It’s time we showed them.
South East Asia is our New World. It is time we sailed for it, together.