ON-TRADE FOCUS FOR CHARLES BACK

Published: 23 July, 2008

By Jack Hibberd

Charles Back, the owner and winemaker of top South African estate Fairview, has identified the top-end of the UK on-trade as the next challenge for the South African wine industry. Back, who has decided to pull out of selling wine to UK supermarkets (with the exception of his Goats do Roam range) and signed up with on-trade specialists Liberty Wines, told Harpers that the wines of South Africa are particularly suited to gastronomy. The style of wine needed to do well in UK supermarkets, let's call it a typical New World style, doesn't come naturally to the many South African winemakers, including me,' he said. The style of wine traditionally made in South Africa is more elegant, more acidic and more suited to on-trade consumption,' he added. David Gleave MW, Liberty managing director, agreed. South African wines are maturing' he said. Five years ago South Africa was seen purely as a country of cheap wines. But winemakers like Back have got far better at matching variety to location, giving the country more regional identities.

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