To remain competitive, renowned wine regions must not only produce quality wines, but tell engaging stories about themselves.
While the quality track record of Stellenbosch is undeniable, the wine route is now going beyond this by embarking on an educational programme to give sommeliers a common language to describe Stellenbosch’s terroir, and share it with others.
‘There are so many wine brands,’ says Thomas Webb of Thelema. ‘We need to do everything we can to promote our wines. And our terroir is the most obvious one. It’s important to look at the wards of Stellenbosch and promote them. The more we look at the smaller level, the more we push up the whole region and country. Now is definitely the time for specialisation.’
In order to create Stellenbosch wine and terroir experts, the Stellenbosch Wine Routes Sommelier Bootcamp will be launched in September this year. Aimed at sommeliers, hospitality professionals and wine media across the country, this bootcamp will be a five-day intensive course featuring both online and practical immersion in Stellenbosch.
‘Regionality is and has become very important and consumers are interested,’ says Penny Sati of Penny Noir. ‘We need to keep the story simple and relatable to the people we’re talking to. Let us tell a genuine story about the amazing wine we make in South Africa.’
The Simonsberg
The Bootcamp will be based on the educational Stellenbosch terroir toolkit released earlier this year, addressing the need for knowledge on regional typicity. It is aimed to equip sommeliers, buyers and retailers with easily accessible facts to create memorable experiences of Stellenbosch and its wines, covering topics such as the history of Stellenbosch, terroir on a microclimate level and its influence on specific expressions of Stellenbosch grown varietals.
The booklet came at a time when many were lamenting the lack of information available on sub-regional expressions, such as Fondaumiere: ‘Quite frankly that information isn’t out there. There’s no one beating the drum for the different wards in Stellenbosch and saying this is what we’re good at and this is what to expect. If you’re trying to gain information to give information from an educator’s perspective, there’s not much, other than lived experiences which may or may not be correct.’
Erica Taylor, head of operations at SASA, explains how the championing of regional and sub-regional typicity had previously been left to the means of individual producers. The issue with this is that regional stories are then pushed by brands, which tends to result in those with the most money, marketing its story and getting good wine listings that dictate the narrative of a region.
The Bootcamp aims to create a single, relatable story on the region’s typicity; ‘Stellenbosch is a recognised quality brand in key markets, but it is much more exciting to learn about the region in an immersive experience,’ says Elmarie Rabe of Stellenbosch Wine Routes. ‘That way delegates can experience the beauty and generosity of Stellenbosch while gaining a deeper understanding of its people, terroir and our wine culture.’
If you are a wine, hospitality or media professional interested in becoming a Stellenbosch wine and terroir expert, please apply at somm.wineroute by the 2nd of September to attend the inaugural Stellenbosch Wine Routes Sommelier Bootcamp 2022.
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