WOSA woos UK indies and on-trade

Wines of South Africa has announced plans for a new UK trade tasting later this year, which will target independent merchants, on-trade buyers and media.

Called “Wozani”, the event will take place on 7 October from 10am to 6.30pm at South Africa House in London’s Trafalgar Square. Presenting wines that are exclusively available to its target sectors of the trade, the tasting will then open up to consumers in the evening.

The move comes in response to “high levels of interest” in South African wines from buyers in the UK’s independent sector, as well as “increased awareness of premium wines” among the on-trade.

Among the exhibitors confirmed for the Wozani tasting are Alheit Vineyards, Beaumont, Botanica, Thorne & Daughters, Fable Mountain Vineyards, Cederberg, Ataraxia, Yardstick, Mulderbosch, Bouchard Finlayson, Rustenberg, Glenelly, Kleine Zalze, Thelema and Distell.

In addition to this producer presence, the event will feature food prepared by Roger Jones of Michelin-starred restaurant The Harrow at Little Bedwyn. A keen supporter of South African wine, Jones recently created a pop-up restaurant in Cape Town and will design a series of food and wine pairings for Wozani.

Jo Wehring, UK market manager for WOSA, said: “The South African wine scene has changed dramatically in recent years and we’re seeing such enthusiasm for our wines with independent merchants and sommeliers that we felt it was important to create a tasting where buyers can find the wines to suit their business and also discover more about South Africa’s exciting and dynamic industry.”

Wozani will come just a month after WOSA hosts its biggest trade event, Cape Wine, in Cape Town this September. Meanwhile, in September 2016 its UK arm will once again participate in the Beautiful South tasting, which it organises in partnership with fellow southern hemisphere organisations Wines of Chile and Wines of Argentina.

To register for Wozani, click here.