Constellation invests in South African wine

Constellation Europe has highlighted its significant investment in South African wines with the launch of Fish Hoek, a new range of six single-grape varietals from the Swartland region. Made by celebrated winemaker Bruce Jack, the range includes Shiraz, Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Pinotage rosé.

Jack said, “When it comes to wine, I believe in quality and distinctive character – and that’s it. My winemaking philosophy is simple, do what is right for the grapes and the wine, even if that means taking the hard path. I’m immensely proud of Fish Hoek.”

The rollout will be accompanied by considerable press advertising and marketing campaigns over the summer, and the range will have a RRP of £6.19, with the intention of raising the average selling price of South African wine above the £5 price point.

Fish Hoek joined Constellation’s portfolio when the company acquired Bruce Jack’s high profile South African winery Flagstone, which he set up in 1998, earlier this year. Clare Griffiths, VP of marketing at Constellation Europe, said “There is great potential to increase the value of the South African wine category in the UK market…the [Fish Hoek] range has been on limited sale in the UK recently, with far higher than average repeat purchase rates among premium wine shoppers. This indicates a very bright future for Fish Hoek and the South African category.”

Part of this bright future and investment includes a revitalisation of Kumala, Constellation’s flagship South African brand. The first stage of this will see new packaging across the entire range, though the familiar gecko will remain, as well as a streamlining of the line-up into three distinct ranges: Cape Classics, Core, and Zenith / Eternal. Each of these will have its own packaging and price point, and the Core range will now be available in 1.5L magnums, as well as a 25cl size.

Jack will be responsible for every bottle of Kumala, and his arrival has heralded the end of single source supply, with a promise to take Kumala “back to the vineyard”, as he aims to improve the overall quality by selecting only the best fruit from the Western Cape for the brand. Initial trade tastings for the relaunch have been positive, and Jack’s first vintages will hit the UK market this year.

Alexis Hercules 04/06/08