Jenny Mackenzie looks at how Nederburg from South Africa has developed to be a key on-trade wine producer.
Nederburg Wines food matching potential
South Africa’s Nederburg offers great value for money in the on-trade with a fresh input of wine styles suitable for all types of venue from casual dining to high end boutique hotels.
Background
Nederburg has developed in to a big South African wine brand that offers reliability, innovation, good value and high quality across its range. It is also looking to refresh itself and become more relevant to the UK on-trade. A well known and loved name in South Africa, Nederburg is keen to build on those credentials, particularly as a senior member of the South African wine trade, to re-introduce itself to UK buyers.
It has the solid history – going all the way back to 1791 – and laid the foundations to make good, versatile, reliable wines.
Owners, key staff and service
Nederburg is owned by South African Distell, one of the country’s largest and most important wine producers responsible for looking after and managing many of the country’s premium estates.
Nederburg’s key UK contacts are business development manager, Emma Ackerman, and trade marketing manager, Oliver Stuart. The new team has a keen awareness of dovetailing tradition and use of social media to promote the company’s wines. It is distributed in the UK by Matthew Clark.
Buyer wine picks and best sellers
Michael Caines’ Coach House Restaurant at Kentisbury Grange in Devon hosted a dinner to show Nederburg Wines matched to seasonal dishes.
Pongracz Method Cap Classique was a good value sparkling wine as aperitif, sitting well in the NV Champagne-style category – a stylish bottle too.
South African Chenin Blanc is well known yet there are many more whites to offer such as Gewurtztraminer in fresh, off dry style, an innovative by the glass match for a salmon confit with chilli jam.
A Sauternes-like late harvest Chenin Blanc was another great value, add on by the glass match for a local cheeseboard. A new take on the South African signature red grape was a fresher, fruitier style of Pinotage (Pinot Noir x Cinsaut cross), delicious with Exmoor slow-roast lamb.
Food
Nederburg is on message with food and wine trends. Emma Ackerman is a former chef who has even cooked for Nelson Mandela. A professional knowledge of catering and food matching is useful when creating a credible presence in the fast paced world of supplying wine to bars and restaurants.
Customers
Outlets looking to maximise by the glass ranges could do well to re-visit South Africa. For consistent quality, commercially driven Nederburg offers excellent value for money.
USP
The South African rand offers good value for UK wine buyers, coupled with Nederburg’s high quality and wide variety of accessible wine styles suitable for by the glass food matching.
Contacts
Oliver Stuart, Emma Ackerman: Distell Europe: Tel 01355 260999
- You can read more from Jenny Mackenzie at her blog Earlybirdwinenews. And follow her on Twitter @JennyMMackenzie.
