Backsberg

So, I have been pondering for a little while now about how to get students more involved in the wine industry and wine culture. Having been a student up until the end of 2007 (it’s not that long ago!), I haven’t forgotten the feeling of entering a fancy tasting room, getting condescending looks from the tasting room staff and generally being treated like a second rate citizen. Yes, sure, once in a while students can get a bit rowdy and have too much to drink. But, by and large, those unruly economics and finance students generally end up being the very customers we as producers search for five to ten years down the line. Giving students sub-standard service is seriously short-term thinking.

It goes beyond just tasting room treatment though. I think we as the wine industry could be doing more to really get students involved and let them play a part in driving wine culture.  A couple of months ago, Emile Joubert and I were having coffee and talking about this topic, and that discussion led to the hatching of a plan….and more.

The scene is set here:
Pride and honour will be at stake during the inaugural Backsberg Vino Varsity wine contest between the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, which is being held on 14 August. This eagerly anticipated contest between the country’s two oldest universities seeks to determine which one has the keenest wine knowledge and the sharpest palates. It will see the Mighty Matie Magnums take on the Ikey Ice Buckets, both teams consisting of members chosen from each university’s wine society.

“Competitive wine-tasting just doesn’t get any bigger than this,” says Rick Louw, captain of the Ikeys. “Not only is Stellenbosch our traditional foe, but as a university set in one of the world’s most famous wine regions, we know that they will be very hard to beat due to their team being immersed in a powerful wine culture.”

“But we have trained hard over the winter break, and some promising young tasters from Cape Town are stepping up to the plate, ready to take on the daunting challenge of facing Stellenbosch.”

Andrew Chigorimbo, who heads up the Matie Magnums, says the pressure is all on his team.

“When you think of the South African wine industry, you think of Stellenbosch. So we know we are going into this Vino Varsity with the expectations of the entire Stellenbosch wine region on our shoulders,” says Chigorimbo. “We thus know we cannot afford to take our competitors anything less than seriously. Ikeys are definitely the underdogs, and everyone knows how dangerous an underdog is. They have been training hard at their tasting and have a few real stars in their team.”

The Vino Varsity Challenge, organised by Simon Back from Backsberg and Emile Joubert from wine industry PR company MediaVision, will see the teams competing in three categories: blind tastings, general knowledge and a debate section.

“Wine is about knowledge and fun, both features of student life,” says Back, himself a former Ikey who is also the trainer of the Ice Buckets. “The idea of the Vino Varsity Challenge is to provide a platform from which the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town can express the important role wine plays in the student communities. Both universities are set among world-famous winelands, and a shared love of wine is a feature this competition wishes to underscore. It is also important that the enthusiasm shown by these students for wine be recognised by the South African wine industry.

“Vino Varsity is about expressing the passion and knowledge students show for wine, a passion that the rest of the industry should embrace,” says Back.

Emile Joubert, former Matie and trainer of the Magnums, says it all comes down to who is better on the day.

“I have had a look at our competitors, and know where we can exploit their weaknesses,” says Joubert. “But the Ikeys are a well-drilled side and in a competition like this, with so much at stake, anything can happen.”

P.S. The Ikey Ice Buckets are pictured above fiercely preparing in order to down the Mighty Matie Magnums.

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This post was written by:

Simon Back- who has written 56 posts on the Back Chat Blog. After finishing up studying economics at UCT in 2007, Simon has joined his family wine farm, Backsberg. When he is not trying to figure out what marketing wine means, he is authoring his blog, Back Chat.

Author's web site: Backsberg

Read more in Day to Day, Featured.

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