The Vinimark Podcast (Vinimark)

In this episode of the Vinimark Podcast, we explore the future of grape farming in the South African Winelands and discuss how vignerons can adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and drought. Our guest, viticulturist Jaco Engelbrecht, founder of Visual Viticulture and consultant to esteemed producers like Eben Sadie and Weltevreden, offers insights on strategies for future-proofing the wine industry. Jaco is also a key member of The Horsemen Wines team, a winemaking project that focuses on cultivating grape varietals that are better suited for the "apocalyptic times" brought on by climate change.

Welcome to another episode of the Vinimark Podcast.

With South Africa currently experiencing regular alcohol sale lockdowns, conversations over non-alcoholic wine, alcohol-free wine, or "de-alcoholised" wine have popped up more than usual. Which has in turn forced wine many die-hard wine lovers to explore some deep, dark, unchartered philosophical territory! They're having to take a look in the mirror, and ask, "would I still love wine if it didn't have the alcohol?" And who would I become if I started drinking it? Would I need to find a new circle of friends and start wearing pleather?

Now for many people, the answer has been a flat out, emphatic "No!". For me personally, it was pure curiosity that lead me to take the plunge. I kept asking myself, like, "what is that? Is it even possible to get the alcohol out? And if you can do that, what else do you take with you?" I mean, like, we all learnt from watching Lord of the Rings that if you dabble in the dark arts, it eventually takes it's toll on your soul!

So...to demystify it all, I have the privilege of chatting to the Head Wine Maker at Darling Cellars, Pieter-Nel Russouw, and also to Cape Wine Master and Spier Estate senior winemaker Anton Swartz.

In this episode, Jono speaks to Robert Joseph – wine critic-turned producer, industry-analyst and consultant. Joseph shares very practical ideas on how businesses in the on-trade sphere can use their own customers' behavioural data to run more strategic businesses in these tough COVID conditions. Joseph’s background in hospitality, as well as his international experience as a consultant, delivers countless “why-didn’t-I-think-of-that?” moments that will give on-trade operators in South Africa plenty of food for thought.

Just moments before the historic Tim Atkin 95+ point wine tasting in Cape Town, Jono got to sit down with Tim Atkin to discuss a full decade of Tim’s South African Wine Reports. 

This podcast includes Tim's highlights of the year, and what excites him for the future of South African wine. Points discussed in this episode include the state of South African wine in global markets, the future of Syrah in the country, and the need for vignerons to begin future-proofing against climate change. 

Wine geeks, assemble! In our latest podcast episode titled Yeasts, Thiols and their effect on wine flavour development, we have a fascinating contribution from Dr Carien Coetzee, the founder of Basic Wine. Carien is a doctor of Agricultural Oenology, as well as an international wine judge for the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon. It’s all in an afternoon’s work for her as she effortlessly unpacks some of the science behind thiol-boosting yeasts, and explains how yeast nutrients can modulate flavour during fermentation. She also discusses some exciting discoveries and innovations that are opening up new possibilities for winemakers.

Vinimark Podcast host Jono le Feuvre sits down for a candid conversation with Samantha O'Keefe, award-winning winemaker, owner of Lismore Wines, single mother of two teenage sons and all-round legend in the South African wine industry.

In this episode, Jono and Samantha delve a little deaper into the reasons why she - as well as many other women in the wine industry - tend to approach the topic of "women in wine" with caution and kid gloves. 

In the run-up to Cape Wine 2022, and its theme of Sustainability 360, we spoke to author Jamie Goode about the concept of Regenerative Viticulture. We were keen to know how to measure sustainability, how carbon content affects soil health, and whether improved soil health might adversely affect wine quality. 

Jamie came back with some interesting answers and also gave us a sneak peak into some of the hot topics covered in his upcoming book, "The New Viticulture", which offers a far more in-depth and technically detailed framework for the future of viticulture in a fast-changing planet.

In this episode, Jono chats to Tara Southey, the CEO of Terraclim, a company that provides some veritable space-age insights into the future of viticulture and winemaking in the Cape Winelands.

Spoiler - the future is nothing like you imagine!

Following on from Vinimark's Online Wine Revolution Webinar, Jono continues chatting to Paul Mabray, Emetry founder and eminent e-commerce authority. This is the second instalment in a two-part conversation about data, sales technology, and why the human connection is still the most important thing to get right. 

This second episode explores the importance of listening to your customer, lists top tips on deciphering your social media statistics, and outlines the importance of understanding the difference between customer education and customer engagement.

In this episode, Jono chats to the supremely eloquent Elleunorah Allsopp, the Senior Researcher at Nietvoorbij Research Farm.

Elleunorah shares the fascinating history of how the vine parasite Phylloxera conquered the world, and why no one is safe just yet…!

Tim Atkin has just completed his 12th South African Wine Report, including notes on more than 2200 wines. 

Jono sat down with Tim to mine out some of the most important themes in the report, including his discovery of exciting new winemakers and positive winemaking trends. Conversely, Tim also shares a few notes where he feels that South African wine could do better. 

In July 2022, Vinimark gathered a panel of some of South Africa's pioneering black wine marketers, distributors and retailers to discuss the expectations and needs of black wine drinkers versus what wine marketers and retailers are actually delivering. The conversation highlighted significant challenges, but also clear opportunities for producers who are willing to take the time to build consumer trust the old-fashioned way.

And so it is that Vinimark is following up that earlier conversation by chatting to Thapelo Mokoena to try and answer those questions.

Thapelo is the co-owner of the Nero wine brand, which is a joint venture between Bosman Family Vineyards (South Africa's largest Fairtrade producer) and Bakoena Brands - Thapelo's own stable of food and hospitality businesses. Thapelo is not only a wine brand owner, but also a restaurateur, film actor, and TV producer.

Following on from a successful CapeWine 2022, we met up with Wines of South Africa CEO, Siobhan Thompson, to unpack the strategy behind its theme of “Sustainability 360”. Siobhan also shares some of her thoughts on the challenges facing South African wine on a global scale and gives her insight on the areas in which South African wine can grow and shine. 

In this episode of the Vinimark Podcast, we talk to Rosa Kruger, the founder of the Old Vine Project (OVP) here in South Africa. Rosa shares some fascinating insights, and puts Jono in his place on more than one occasion! They discuss the OVP's exciting new projects, talk about the need for a culture of viticulture and explore the scientific studies that show just how different old vine wines are to their younger counterparts.

The discussion touches on the blindtasting of old vine wines, explores consumer behaviour in the sales of old vines, and covers the secret life of vines. Are grape vines sentient? Can vines communicate through the soil? Find out here!

In the second of our two-part series titled The Fine Wine Debate, we continue the conversation with Areni Global Institute CEO, Pauline Vicard.

In this final episode, we explore what it means to declare wine as a “cultural product”. Pauline shares more on how the consumer mindset differs slightly to the industry mindset when it comes to deciding which wines are “fine” and which ones are not. 

In this Vinimark podcast episode titled The Fine Wine Debate, we speak to CEO of the Areni Global Institute, Pauline Vicard, about her wine industry study: “The Future of the Fine Wine Consumer”.

Together we try to figure out where South Africa’s top-tier wines fit into the global picture of fine wine. We grapple with what the term “fine wine” actually means, and explore how a “nice wine” may be different to a “good wine”. Pauline shares her own thoughts on the definition, as well as what global wine critics and industry professionals deem of utmost importance when distinguishing “fine wine” from everything else. 

In this two-part series titled The Fine Wine Debate, we speak to CEO of the Areni Global Institute, Pauline Vicard, about her wine industry study: “The Future of the Fine Wine Consumer”.

Together we try to figure out where South Africa’s top-tier wines fit into the global picture of fine wine. We grapple with what the term “fine wine” actually means, and explore how a “nice wine” may be different to a “good wine”. Pauline shares her own thoughts on the definition, as well as what global wine critics and industry professionals deem of utmost importance when distinguishing “fine wine” from everything else. 

Over the past few decades, consumers have become increasingly aware of the impact their purchases have on their well-being and that of their families and the environment. This has led to a growing demand for products that are sourced, produced, packaged and delivered as sustainably as possible.

In the South African wine industry, we’ve seen this trend manifesting in a number of interesting ways, including the adoption of organic and biodynamic farming practises and the production of organic and natural wines. 

The terms and categorisations of these practices and the certification of these products can, however, be somewhat confusing for the consumer.

To make some sense of this, we speak to Rudiger Gretschel - Head of Production for Vinimark. 

Host Jono Le Feuvre sits down with Paul Mabray, Emetry founder and eminent e-commerce authority to talk frankly about data, sales technology and why the human connection is still the most important thing to get right. 

This episode explores how data insights can never replace a sincere customer-centered approach, but by combining technological advances with genuine customer care, good values will lead to great profits. 

As part of Women’s Month, Jono sits down with Felicity Carter to discuss everything from the structure of the female brain - and the dangers of genetic determinism - through to the fine wine scene in China, and how it offers a glimmer of hope for female wine lovers.

Felicity is an enormously experienced wine journalist who has been writing on wine around the world for over twenty years. Her wealth of experience delivers superb insights into some of the challenges surrounding marketing wine to women, and how the emerging generation of female estate owners may just be the thing to shift the power balance for the better.

Picking up where we left off with our Women in Wine webinar back in October, Vinimark Podcast host Jono Le Feuvre sits down for a conversation with Rose Kruger, winemaker at Stellekaya in Stellenbosch, about the complex web of challenges women in the local wine industry come up against on a regular basis.

In this episode, Jono and Rose touch on a number of hurdles the majority of South African women have to clear in order to establish themselves as esteemed wine industry professionals. Apart from the gender gap we unpacked in the last episode with Samantha O’Keefe, economic, racial and age discrimination are also unfortunate realities.  

Raised by a single mother in the village of Pniel, 29-year-old Rose is no stranger to all of the above and has been called on to stand strong in her convictions despite many challenges.

“One of the big things for me has definitely been discrimination,” says Rose. “We all get discriminated against based on our gender. And in my case, my gender and my age.”

During the 20-minute conversation, Rose shares candidly about her own experience of rising through the wine industry ranks, perfectly illustrating how the 1960s feminist slogan ‘the personal is political’ still rings true. She highlights how important it is for young girls/women to have strong role models (here she specifically mentions her mother) and mentors to look up to.

Despite the challenges she’s faced, Rose is clear-eyed about her goals and positive about the future of South African wine.

“On a professional level, I would just like to become known for my craft,” she says. “And also provide some form of mentorship. Having been a mentee myself, I’ve seen first-hand how enriching it can be.”

In our latest podcast episode titled Future-Focussed Wine Brands, Jono speaks to Lulie Halstead, CEO of Wine Intelligence about her incredibly useful framework for helping wine producers and brands be more future-focussed, and strategically position themselves for maximum commercial success during the decade heading up to 2030.

She identified six elements: Awareness / Availability / Accountability / An accommodating mindset / Affluence and Adaptability. It's been four years since Lulie shared this framework and with CAPEWINE2022 just around the corner, it felt like a good time to take stock of her Six A's, to see how they're holding up.

In the latest Vinimark Podcast episode, Jono talks to the enigmatic Callie Louw - the custodian, farmer and winemaker at Porseleinberg, about the effects of drought, both in the vineyards, and also in the glass.

Whether one is a wine drinker or not, most of us understand that, when it comes to farming,  drought is a bad thing. But wine lovers will know that vines are at their best in marginal environments, where everyday life for the plant is a struggle. This point is never more obvious than when we look at how many of South Africa's most exciting wines come out of some very harsh and dry environments. 2015 - 2017 were some of the driest years on record in the Western Cape, but the 2015 and 2017 vintage were also touted as two of the most exciting vintages of the decade.