Produced by Cape Classics, Indaba is one of the most successful South African wine brands in the US market and underwent a radical rebranding in 2012 to return the brand to its African roots. The judges approved and also presented Indaba with a Gold Medal for Graphic Design, a Silver Medal for Form and a Silver Medal for Style, as well as a Bronze Medal for Creativity at the awards run by the Chicago-based Beverage Testing Institute. The Beverage Testing Institute, founded in 1981, is Americas premier source for wine, beer, and spirits reviews for consumers. It awards the best wine, beer and spirits packaging designs from hundreds of entries from around the world. The designs have to excel in the key categories of creativity, graphic design, style and functional innovation, as well as practicality and ergonomics. “Receiving these industry awards is confirmation weve achieved our goal to create a design that is authentic, will resonate with consumers and truly represent the quality and deliciousness thats inside the bottle,” said Molly Choi, Marketing and Sales EVP for Cape Classics. Choi said the new Indaba design reflects the rich diversity of the Western Cape’s floral kingdom - “a beautiful place where beautiful things grow”. The slightly muted colour choices take into consideration the way sunlight falls on the mountains of the Cape and the sun-faded affect caused by the strength of the African sun. The new brand image also draws on the region’s commitment to recycling and sustainability, with the choice of paper for the label having a homemade, craft feel. “Our team worked tirelessly to develop creative packaging that would pop on crowded shelves,” said Rob Bradshaw, President & COO for Cape Classics. “In this highly competitive wine market, designs that draw consumers to brands are a key for success.” Indaba Wines, part of the Cape Classics family since 1996, are produced in the Western Cape in partnership with consulting winemaker Bruwer Raats. The brand is linked to the transformation of the wine industry through an annual scholarship, funded through Indaba wine sales, which is awarded to financially needy and academically deserving students. Visit http://www.tastings.com/bti_news.html?news_id=45 for more details.