Jenny B. Davis

Over dinner at Kevin--spicy bean glazed rack of lamb in rosemary sauce and a glass of his own Redhill Pinotage--Pieter Malan of South Africa's Simonsig Family Vineyards fielded questions about the growing popularity of his country's wine in the states.

Q: Winemaking in South Africa dates back hundreds of years, yet the wines are relatively new to the world market. Why?

A: It's the turnaround from a German orientation to a French orientation [of winemaking] in the 1980s. South Africans began to travel and realized that the French system was a better fit for the terroir and our position on the equator and our medium climate. It was more logical.

Q: What are some of the hurdles South African winemakers must still clear to "make it" in America?

A: South Africans are making terrific inroads here. It's still difficult for us to bring foodstuffs here because the Rand is so strong and we have to work on our brands. But South African winemakers have united to bring the wines to the attention of the market [www.wosa.co.ze], and that strategy has been quite successful--five years ago, you had only four or five wines on the shelf, but now you have eight or ten.

Q: Do you think you're still battling political or social stigmas?

A: I think some people still associate South Africa with political turmoil and instability. The media can help change this, and I think there are other ways to change this. ...I think tourism will certainly help the wine industry a lot--American's didn't go to Australia to like Australian wines, they reacted favorably to them, even when they said, `I never knew they made wine.' I think we can change people's minds the same way. I am very enthusiastic--much more so than I was ten years ago. Europe is saturated, and people are not as outgoing as they used to be, but the American market is ready for something new and exciting. (2006-06-06)

Also by Jenny B. Davis

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