For all the noise, glitz, and excitement of CapeWine 2025 – the grand showcase of South African wine that brings the global industry to the Mother City every three years – there was plenty of reason to feel uncertain about the general state of wine in the event build-up. Not a week has passed this year without news to unsettle the industry. Young people aren’t drinking alcohol, let alone wine. Producers around the world are making more and more wine for a shrinking audience. Climate change is having a real impact on the global vineyard. Tariffs (led by America) are playing havoc with the economics of the business of wine. The future of the industry? Clearly not one to lift the spirits.
But for all of the negative sentiment swirling about an industry that rivals sport for doing South Africa proud, CapeWine was just the tonic for the wine soul we needed. Over three mad, wonderful, intense days, South African wine showed off its very best to the international wine trade – and based on the guests I spent time with recording 15 episodes of the Dan Really Likes Wine podcast during CapeWine, there’s genuine reason to believe in the immediate future of South Africa.
Much of the recent wine gloom has centred on the moving target that is American tariffs. But while the increased cost of South African wine in a market that now produces wine in every single state is a real concern, it doesn’t suddenly end our assault on the United States market. North Carolina importer Andy Woolgar, one of our great South African ambassadors, is one of many adamant that the quality of our wine is still a huge selling point – and that even raised tariffs don’t completely negate the relative value of our wine.
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