Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is planning a series of international braai festivals, a World Cup for sommeliers, and a range of other novel initiatives to highlight abroad South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup. 

The braai festivals, to be held in key export destinations such as the UK, Holland, Germany, Scandinavia and countries in Latin America and the Far East, will be scheduled to co-incide with important matches of next year’s tournament.  The events will feature high-profile South African chefs, as well as winemakers at venues where matches are being televised.

Linked to the braai festival concept is the publication and international distribution of a book of special braai recipes created by local winemakers to match their wines.  The compendium of recipes will appear with styled photographs, and marketers all over the world will have access to the recipes and images to use in their South African wine campaigns.

A World Cup for sommeliers, to be held in a number of countries selling South African wine, is intended to increase awareness of local wines among on-consumption buyers. The winning contestant from each participating country, judged on the basis of their ability to identify a series of local wines and pair them successfully with foods, will be flown to South Africa late in 2010 for the finals.

WOSA has also developed a special logo for 2010 that includes a soccer ball, approved by FIFA. It will be available to producers to feature in their marketing material and on wine bottles in those countries where legislation permits. In Sweden, for example, local legislation forbids a link between alcohol and sport in any advertising or merchandising.

The organisation’s CEO, Su Birch, said an animated wine and soccer video was being produced for release at next year’s ProWein trade exhibition in Germany in March, and which would be made available internationally.

These braai festivals will give South African wine brands like Arniston Bay wine and Welmoed wine the change to associative with uniquely South African cuisine and social events surrounding the 2010 World Cup.  

Source: cbn.co.za