Standard Bank Soweto Wine Festival

For the fourth year running, wine-lovers will be given the opportunity to taste South Africa’s premier wines at the annual Standard Bank Soweto Wine Festival, which is set to take place on the 5th and 6th of September 2008. This celebration in honor of the fruit of the vine will be held in the main Arena Hall at the University of Johannesburg on the Old Potch Road in Soweto, between 18:30 and 22:00 each evening.

New and seasoned wine-lovers, both South Africans and visitors to the country, will be introduced to more than 850 of South Africa’s finest wines, representing 115 different wine labels. Many wine labels will be instantly recognizable, while new labels promise to add a refreshing touch to the event. Guests will meet the wine-makers and producers, including South Africa’s first black woman wine-maker. Empowerment wine producers such as Thokozani Wines, Ses’fikile, Women in Wine and Vunani Wine will reveal the secrets of their success.

No previous knowledge of wine is required, making the Soweto Wine Festival the perfect venue for would-be wine connoisseurs to start cultivating their knowledge of wine. Well-known and new labels will present red, white, sweet, dry, sparkling and cap classique wines for guests to swirl, smell, taste and spit. Experts will advise guests on how to fully enjoy a bottle of wine, whether it is at home or in a restaurant. Guests will find pleasure in identifying which wine is likely to become their favorite, as well as which wines best accompany different foods.

The 2008 Standard Bank Soweto Wine Festival will be introducing “The Wine Class”. These fascinating one hour educational wine-tasting sessions will be conducted by professional Cape Wine Masters. Classes will be limited to 40 people, in order for each participant to gain the most benefit possible from the class. Also new to the Soweto Wine Festival is the Wine Lovers Competition, with entry forms being available at the festival only. Every hour on the hour winners will be drawn and winners must be present at the festival at the time of the draw in order to collect their prize.

In addition to the pleasure of tasting a wide variety of wines, the Soweto Wine Festival serves as a platform for the promotion of business opportunities between sponsors, consumers, retailers and exhibitors.

The Soweto Wine Festival gives wine-lovers everywhere the opportunity to discover first-hand why South Africa has the well earned reputation for producing top quality wines.