Extra SA fundraising tasting due to demand

By Lisa Riley

Published: 11 February, 2021

Love Wine, co-founded by Richard Bampfield MW, has added an additional day to its virtual fundraising tasting initiative launched in aid of the South African wine industry.

The extra tasting follows more than 100 tickets having already been sold to the initial event, which is scheduled to take place 18 February, and was planned ahead of the South African government announcement on 1 February that it was lifting the alcohol ban on domestic sales.

“The South African cause is important and I am pleased to say that owing to demand we have added an extra date to raise as much money as possible," said Bampfield, who co-founded Love Wine with wine experts Laura Clay and Heather Dougherty.

“Just one fact that might help the undecided – 10p equates to 2 rand which will buy one meal in poorer communities in South Africa. So a little help from the UK can go a long way,” he added.

This second tasting will be a re-run of the first event, with the same wines tasted, including a case specially selected by Waitrose, and all the proceeds going towards a food relief charity in South Africa set up by winemaker Bruce Jack.

Last month, Bampfield issued a call to the UK trade to help the SA wine industry by freeing up tank space.

The support follows South African wine businesses having not been able to earn any income from local wine sales for a total of 20 weeks since March 2020, which has led to an overall loss of more than R8bn in direct sales revenue and still threatens the survival of cellars, wine grape producers and the livelihoods of 27,000 employees in the wine industry value-chain.

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