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	<title>Design News &#187; Vinimark</title>
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		<title>El Niño and the Cape Winelands: why the national forecast only tells part of the story</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/el-nino-and-the-cape-winelands-why-the-national-forecast-only-tells-part-of-the-story/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/el-nino-and-the-cape-winelands-why-the-national-forecast-only-tells-part-of-the-story/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:45:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[El Nino]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=11026</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The South African Weather Service has confirmed El Niño conditions into 2027, but the Western Cape is a winter-rainfall region. Vinimark spoke to climate specialist Dr Tara Southey and viticulturist Marko Roux about what the season could mean for Cape vineyards, and where preparation matters most. National headlines are warning of a hot, dry summer as El Niño takes hold into 2027. For Cape wine farms, the picture is more nuanced. El Niño&#8217;s strongest rainfall effects are felt in South Africa&#8217;s summer-rainfall regions, while the Western Cape receives most of its rain in winter. The real questions for growers are about heat, vine water demand and how much water is available as the season begins. El Niño develops when surface waters across the central and eastern tropical Pacific become unusually warm, altering atmospheric circulation and weather patterns. It occurs every two to seven years, and its most recent significant impact on Southern Africa was during 2023 and into 2024. This time, the signal is strong. The South African Weather Service has confirmed El Niño conditions for this year and into next, with below-normal rainfall indicated across many of South Africa&#8217;s summer-rainfall areas. At a Western Cape provincial briefing on Thursday, [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Should we be planting for today&#8217;s market, or tomorrow&#8217;s realities?</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/should-we-be-planting-for-todays-market-or-tomorrows-realities/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/should-we-be-planting-for-todays-market-or-tomorrows-realities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:29:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10998</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every vineyard is a long-term investment in an uncertain future. As climate conditions shift, markets evolve and new technologies emerge, producers are being challenged to make decisions today that will shape South African wine for generations to come. Wine has always been an industry built on patience, where great vineyards are measured in generations, not seasons. But as environmental and commercial pressures change, tradition alone is no longer enough to guarantee resilience. Innovation is no longer optional; it&#8217;s a matter of &#8216;when&#8217;, not &#8216;if&#8217;. But that&#8217;s a difficult truth in an industry where a single wrong decision doesn&#8217;t just cost a season; it can cost a generation. Nowhere is the shift from tradition to necessity clearer than beneath the ground. Rootstocks were once viewed as a practical necessity, protecting vines against pests like phylloxera and helping them adapt to soil conditions. Today, their role has expanded into something more strategic: influencing vine vigour, drought tolerance, nutrient uptake and overall performance. When combined with careful cultivar selection, they also help producers build vineyards suited to conditions decades in the future. From rootstocks to gene editing: the next frontier If rootstocks represent viticulture&#8217;s first great act of future-proofing, the industry may now [...]]]></description>
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		<title>South Africa makes world-class winemakers. Does it make world-class wine businesses?</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/south-africa-makes-world-class-winemakers-does-it-make-world-class-wine-businesses/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/south-africa-makes-world-class-winemakers-does-it-make-world-class-wine-businesses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:54:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South African Winemakers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wine Education]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10919</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A winemaker spends years mastering fermentation, soil science and sensory analysis. Then they open a wine business and discover nobody taught them how to read a balance sheet, build a brand or have a conversation with their marketing team. South Africa has spent decades perfecting the craft of wine, but the harder question is whether it is building businesses capable of sustaining that excellence in an increasingly complex market. Deep roots, shallow reach Climate variability, water scarcity and environmental pressure now require a different kind of thinking, not just optimisation, but anticipation and the ability to manage risk before it becomes a crisis. As Carlos Poblete-Echeverría, Associate Professor in Digital Viticulture at Stellenbosch University and coordinator of the Digital Agriculture Research Group at SAGWRI explains, the shift towards systems-thinking and decision making under uncertainty is redefining the skillset the next generation will need. Digital viticulture has already changed what happens in the vineyard. Sensors, modelling systems and real-time monitoring tools have moved decision-making from reactive to predictive, and graduates are no longer just learning what to do but why certain decisions succeed or fail under specific conditions without having to ‘wait and see’ in the vineyard. Technical mastery only takes [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Getting to know Liandra Kotzé, Vinimark’s Brand Portfolio Director</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/getting-to-know-liandra-kotze-vinimarks-brand-portfolio-director/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/getting-to-know-liandra-kotze-vinimarks-brand-portfolio-director/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:26:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liandra Kotze]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10873</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When Liandra Kotzé joined Vinimark as Brand Portfolio Director at the start of 2026, she brought more than 25 years of experience in the wine industry, spanning finance, brand strategy, commercial leadership and customer marketing. But beyond her extensive industry experience, Liandra brings a thoughtful perspective on where South African wine stands today and where it needs to go next. From evolving consumer expectations and innovation to the enduring power of storytelling in wine, we sat down with Liandra to learn more about the person behind the role, her vision for Vinimark’s portfolio and what she believes the South African wine industry needs to embrace to stay relevant. 1. Why did you want to join Vinimark? Vinimark represents some of the most respected and diverse wine brands in South Africa. What drew me in was the opportunity to work across such a powerful portfolio and to influence how these brands grow. After years of working within brand houses, the idea of shaping a portfolio at this scale, with a strong commercial lens and close connection to both producers and the trade, felt like a natural next step. Vinimark is also a business that understands the importance of relationships, a value [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Chenin Blanc: From workhorse to world stage</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/chenin-blanc-from-workhorse-to-world-stage/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/chenin-blanc-from-workhorse-to-world-stage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 10:18:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chenin Blanc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Darling Cellars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DeMorgenzon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spier Wine Farm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10860</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[South Africa’s most underestimated grape has become its greatest global statement For decades, Chenin Blanc was treated as an afterthought. It was the grape you planted for yield, not for legacy – cropped heavily, sent to co-ops, often destined for distillation. Reliable, yes. Respected, no. And yet, today, Chenin Blanc stands as South Africa’s defining varietal, not just locally, but on the global stage. It’s a wine of precision, place and potential. What changed was not the grape. It was the belief in what it could be. At Vinimark, we see this as one of South Africa’s most compelling wine stories. From workhorse to opportunity For much of its history, Chenin Blanc served a functional role in the industry. As Winemaker Anthony Sanvido of DeMorgenzon puts it, it was ‘the workhorse’, often cropped for volume and diverted to distillation. But that same history created an unexpected advantage. Many of South Africa’s most prized Chenin vineyards exist today because they were never replanted – and growers who couldn’t afford to replace them preserved what would become the backbone of the country’s old-vine movement. The real shift came in the 1990s. Winemakers like Ken Forrester began challenging convention by tasting together, sharing [...]]]></description>
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		<title>In 2025, Vinimark’s International team explored fresh frontiers for South African wine while adapting to shifts in the global market.</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/in-2025-vinimarks-international-team-explored-fresh-frontiers-for-south-african-wine-while-adapting-to-shifts-in-the-global-market/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/in-2025-vinimarks-international-team-explored-fresh-frontiers-for-south-african-wine-while-adapting-to-shifts-in-the-global-market/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2025 07:34:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10721</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In 2025, Vinimark continued to explore fresh frontiers for South African wine while adapting to a global market that has become more competitive and more unpredictable. Even as conditions shifted, Vinimark felt a renewed sense of momentum. South Africa’s wine story continued to resonate beyond the country’s borders, and Vinimark leaned into that energy with purpose. This year marked an important evolution for Vinimark’s international portfolio  under its dynamic new director De Bruyn Steenkamp who took the reins in August 2024 with vision and verve. In tandem with Vinimark celebrating its 40th year and crystallising its position as a wine company that supports brand development and distribution, the team has expanded its focus beyond export logistics to support a growing portfolio and make its broader expertise and experience available to Vinimark’s Brand Partners. Significant new additions to the Vinimark International portfolio, such as Vilafonté and Kasteelberg, joined established global favourites including Krone, Reyneke, Barista and Robertson Wines. Together, these brands present a clear and compelling view of modern South African wine that blends heritage with innovation and authenticity. By the end of 2025, and with 2026 firmly in sight, Vinimark’s international offering was centred on curiosity, quality and long-term brand [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Vinimark named South Africa’s #1 wine distributor and top 3 alcohol distributor at 2025 Advantage Awards</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-named-south-africas-1-wine-distributor-and-top-3-alcohol-distributor-at-2025-advantage-awards/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-named-south-africas-1-wine-distributor-and-top-3-alcohol-distributor-at-2025-advantage-awards/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:15:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10657</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Vinimark, South Africa’s leading independent wine distributor, has been named the number one wine distributor in the country and among the top three alcohol distributors overall at the 2025 Advantage Awards. The awards were presented during the Consumer Goods Council Summit 2025 at VodaWorld, Midrand on 8 October 2025. The recognition is based on retailers’ ratings in the annual Voice of Retail programme, and highlights Vinimark’s market leadership, operational excellence and strong partnerships across the trade. Vinimark was ranked in third position overall, alongside South Africa’s largest liquor distributors &#8211; South African Breweries (SAB), the country’s top beer and cider producer, and Edward Snell, a major spirits distributor.  Vinimark’s achievement is particularly remarkable, considering that it focuses exclusively on wine and select champagnes, including Champagne Bollinger and La Maison Pommery. Through this accolade, Vinimark has solidified its position as the country’s leading wine distributor and a key driver in the broader alcohol distribution market. ‘Being recognised as South Africa’s top wine distributor and one of the top three alcohol distributors is a tremendous honour,’ says Sales Director at Vinimark, Riaan Rautenbach. ‘Our rise, from being placed 12th in 2023, to 6th in 2024, and now 3rd overall in 2025, demonstrates [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Love of People: Mentorship and Diversity in the Wine Industry. From representation to real power.</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/love-of-people-mentorship-and-diversity-in-the-wine-industry-from-representation-to-real-power/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/love-of-people-mentorship-and-diversity-in-the-wine-industry-from-representation-to-real-power/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:35:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10531</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Across the Cape Winelands, a quiet shift is gaining momentum, one rooted in mentorship, ownership and community development. It’s a shift that’s not just reshaping who gets to be part of the wine industry, but how they thrive within it. For too long, knowledge of wine was something passed around the same tables through informal apprenticeships, family networks, and closed-door connections. For many black South Africans, this meant not just exclusion from ownership, but exclusion from understanding: terroir, varietals, markets, culture. But change is happening, and mentorship is at the heart of it. Because wine, after all, isn’t learned in isolation. It’s passed hand to hand, cellar to cellar, harvest to harvest. And when mentorship is structured, intentional, and inclusive, it becomes a powerful bridge across the barriers that have long held the industry back. The results? Transformational, not just for individuals, but for the industry’s future. Phil Bowes, Manager of Inclusive Growth Strategies at SA Wine, shares that the sector now supports 107 black-owned wine brands, up by 50% in just ten years, alongside 81 black-owned farms spanning grape production, logistics, and retail. But more than the numbers, it’s the capability that’s grown: a generation of better technically equipped [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Vinimark turns 40 — and steps into a new era with clarity and intention</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-turns-40-and-steps-into-a-new-era-with-clarity-and-intention/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/vinimark-turns-40-and-steps-into-a-new-era-with-clarity-and-intention/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:52:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After four decades of supporting the growth of South African wine, Vinimark is entering its fifth decade with a renewed sense of purpose and a new visual identity to match. More than a ‘refresh’, this evolution is the result of considerable internal reflection and a shared ambition to continually improve, for partners, employees, and the communities Vinimark serves. It’s a visible expression of who Vinimark has become and the values that will guide the company forward. “Since 1985, we’ve grown by staying close to the people we work with,” says CEO Eckhardt Gerber. “Listening well. Supporting consistently. Building trust. Our new identity is part of that same journey, a signal that we are evolving to meet the future with clarity, care, and conviction.” The rebrand supports Vinimark’s transition from a wine distributor to a strategic growth partner, one that offers market insight, commercial fluency, and strong, deep alignment with the brands it represents. “Today’s wine landscape is dynamic,” Gerber continues. “With a new generation of consumers, new opportunities for inclusion, new ways of doing business, and new opportunities around sustainability. We believe in adapting boldly, and always with people at the centre.” A brand built from the inside out Vinimark’s [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Beyond the label: Building brands that live in people’s minds</title>
		<link>http://designnews.co.za/beyond-the-label-building-brands-that-live-in-peoples-minds/</link>
		<comments>http://designnews.co.za/beyond-the-label-building-brands-that-live-in-peoples-minds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 16:12:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Design News]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinimark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://designnews.co.za/?p=10432</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[‘Products are made in factories, but brands are created in minds.’ Advertising executive Leo Burnett’s timeless insight has never rung truer, especially in the world of wine. In late May, Vinimark opened the doors of its premises in Klapmuts outside of Cape Town for a Packaging and Innovation Masterclass that brought together creatives, strategists and storytellers from across the wine world. The session, led by Vinimark’s Wine Training &#38;amp; Education Manager Ginette de Fleuriot, featured two provocateurs of design thinking: François Rey of graphic design studio Monday Design and Brenden Schwartz, co-founder of wine brand Orpheus &#38;amp; The Raven. Their message was clear: in a market that’s crowded, fast-moving and increasingly visual, it’s not only your grape variety, terroir, wine quality or awards that will set you apart. It’s your brand memory: the emotional connection your packaging, positioning and story create in a split second. The rise of the distinctive asset Walk into any bottle store and you’ll see it: shelf upon shelf of beautifully bottled ambition. But amid all that noise, only a few speak with clarity. Why? Because they’ve built what Schwartz called distinctive assets: visual cues that work harder than names, louder than labels. Think Nike’s swoosh, [...]]]></description>
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