Afritage celebration in Southbroom draws wine lovers from near and far
The event was a roaring success with about 240 people attending.
The 2025 South Coast Wine Festival, held recently at Riverbend Crocodile Farm, drew a crowd of aficionados who enjoyed testing the incredible selection available.
The theme was Afritage, celebrating a century of both Afrikaans and Pinotage production. Riverbend owner and event organiser Howard Kelly gathered an epic group of cultivars from 29 respected wine estates, presenting 150 wines for attendees to check out.
Pinotage was the star on the night and patrons quickly snapped up all the tickets for the popular masterclass.
Presented in conjunction with the Pinotage Association, international wine judge Yegas Naidoo and Kelly delved into the history of this South African signature grape.
Born out of the union of Pinot Noir and Cinsault in 1925, five countries including the USA and Germany now cultivate these grapes. The masterclass treated attendees to some decorated and extremely rare examples of the country’s best Pinotage.
It wasn’t the only cultivar on show, however, and patrons crowded the various estate stations presenting a spectrum of white, red and sparkling wines. There were lucky draw giveaways and local lekker Afrikaans snacks to satisfy any hunger pangs.
Kelly said the event was a roaring success with about 240 people attending.
“The wine industry has changed so much since Covid, and with the depressed economy the wine estates are under pressure,” he said. “They are being forced to differentiate their wines through packaging and marketing,” he added, confirming that orders from the event showed these exciting new wines were popular.
Kelly was surprised by a group of eight French tourists who visited the Crocodile Farm that day, returning in the evening to enjoy the festival. “They were absolutely raving about the event,” he laughed. “They couldn’t believe they could sample 150 fabulous wines from top estates for the equivalent of about 17 Euros (R350).”
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
