VinExpo kicks off

A lack of government funding for SA wine marketing was fingered by Dana Buys (below, with Gary Baumgarten fromAnthonij Rupert Wines) as a major limiting factor for SA wine exports. ¡°Italy gets €500 million a year for marketing. WOSA applied to DTI for funding and was turned down. A booth here costs R55K, which we¡¯re paying ourselves.¡±. Some urgent fence-mending between WOSA and the DTI is indicated after an acrimonious public slanging match some years ago

A tasting of the unreleased maiden vintage 2007 flagship Bordeaux-style blend from Anthonij Rupert, put together byMichel Roland from equal parts Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc with some Petit Verdot plus Merlot, showed there is a new kid on the ultra-premium block. ¡°Its been submitted to Wine Spectator¡± confided Gazza ¡°and we¡¯re waiting for a rating.¡±. Hopefully even better than the ninety two and threes the Cabernet and Merlots collected. Meanwhile the entire vintage of 2007 Optima ¨C three containers ¨C has been sold to China and SA wine lovers will have to settle for the 2008 which is good value at R125 a bottle.