I agree with Fiona that PET bottles may be a great option (weight & cost wise) but they have a very limited shelf life at present and are too high risk for us to consider at this time. At 55% of the cost of a full bottle there is not much logic to Mark’s comment re cost.

I often put half a full bottle in the fidge planning to drink it the next day, only to end up going out or away. I then come back to a half bottle that goes straight to the bin! So the waste factor with full bottles are much higher when not finished.

We do not distribute the half bottles widely, but they are available online via the Vrede en Lust eStore and we deliver across the whole of South Africa. They come in cases of 12 half bottles so 4.5L in total per case.

Here are the questions raised by Cathy and my comments:

1. Why do you use them?
We saw a gap in the market for smaller servings, as most wineries do not produce 375mls. It is hard enough trying to get unique selling points in the wine industry!

There is a good market for 2 glass servings of wine, although it is still significantly under developed at this stage.

2. What are your biggest markets for half bottles?
Hotels, lodges and hospitality establishments including luxury trains

3. Why do you carry the extra cost of bottling in half bottles?
In order to serve our customers better and to help differentiate Vrede en Lust from its competitors.

4. Are your bottles local or imported?
They are local, but pricing is tough as there is not enough volume in the market

5. Why do you think more wineries don’t make use of half bottles?
Can’t speak for them but I suspect it is seen as expensive cost wise and more stock items to carry.

6. Do you think they gain you extra customers?
Yes, for sure

7. What do you perceive are the benefits of drinking wine in half bottles?
It really depends on the market served:

• For people living or traveling by themselves it provides 2 glasses of quality wine without drinking too much or wasting too much.  The singles market is a very significant niche today.
• For couples it may allow one to have 2 glasses of white wine and while the other drinks 2 glasses of red or another type of beverage.
• It also allows couples to each have a glass of say white wine with the starter and then a glass of red wine with the main course vs. the cost of 2 equivalent bottles of wine.
• The other alternative is often wine by the glass, which may often be of inferior quality or oxidized.
• When on diet it allows my wife and I to each enjoy only 1 glass of wine and keep the calories down

8. Do you plan to continue making wine in half bottles?
Yes

9. Do you know of any other wineries in SA using half bottles? I know of Graham Beck’s fizz but that is it!
Asara used to make 375ml bottles too?

10.  And anything else you would like to say really?
Restaurants often avoid offering half bottles as they say they are worried about selling less wine. I think this is a mistake, as it will often allow them to sell better quality  (thus higher priced) wine vs. the house wines.

Sometimes a bottle is just not enough, but two bottles is too much – by offering half bottles it increases sales.

In a restaurant environment, it also allows clients to better mix and match wines to different courses, without the need for an extensive wine by the glass range.

We started off by selling the half bottles at half the cost of the full bottles, but the steep increase in packaging costs over the past 2 years have forced us to sell the 375ml bottles at 55% of 750ml prices.

The Cotage recently introduced its new summer menu with some really interesting new dishes. They have also added some misters to help on those really hot summers days!

This year Cotage Fromage will be open on the 1st of January for the first time.

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Date: Saturday 10 October & Sunday 11 October 2009

Time: 09h30 – 17h00

Venue: Vrede en Lust and most of the wineries in the beautiful Franschhoek wine valley

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While our newly released wine range will be available for tasting and purchase, the focus this weekend will be on the launch of our brand new Vrede en Lust Mocholate Malbec 2009! The Vrede en Lust Malbec 2008 is effectively sold-out now, having won many fans during its short time on the market.

The Mocholate Malbec retains the very pure red and black berry fruit flavours of the 2008 Malbec, but adds delicious mocha and chocolate flavours – a more complex wine. The Mocholate Malbec 2009 will retail at the same R69 per bottle, with big savings for our wineclub members!

• Participate in our Carats for Carbon competition and stand a chance to win a 1.6 Carat Diamond.
• Live Music
• Blending Competition on Saturday (see below)
• Connoisseur Cheese platters and specially paired tapas with the new Mocholate Malbec wine

Wine Blending Competition:

Join us for the 3rd year of Wine Blending held at Vrede en Lust.

WHEN: 9h00 – 13h00 Saturday 10th of October 2009

WHERE: Vrede en Lust Winery Plaza

WHAT: Blend your own bottle of wine from selected wine cultivars. Teams may consist of 1 – 4 persons. You will be able to taste all the different wines and play around until you decide on your final blend.

COST: R100 per entry. Teams can consist of 1 – 4 people. We have entry forms available for those who want to ensure a specific blending time.

WHAT DO YOU GET:

1 x 750 ml Bottle per team for you to take home and enjoy.

Another sample will be handed in for the judging of the blends.

Judging will take place at 14h00 on the Vrede en Lust Plaza (Please ensure that you are present for the Judging)

Great Prizes are up for grabs!!!

1st Prize: 5 litre bottle of Vrede en Lust 2003 Reserve

2nd Prize: 3 litre bottle of Vrede en Lust 2003 Reserve

3rd Prize: 1.5 litre bottle of Vrede en Lust 2003 Reserve

Warm wishes from Elzanne, Anneke, Susan, Ansone, Lynne and Alice.

We have recently released a whole range of new wines, some are new vintages of existing lines, while others are new wines to our range. All of these wines are participants in our exciting Carats for Carbon competition where a lucky customer will win a 1.6 carat, brilliant cut diamond!

Here are the wines with links to the detailed information on each wine!

Karien 2009 Fresh, crisp and fruity – a lovely easy drinking Chenin Blanc. Intricate nose of peach, ripe pears and tropical fruits. The fruit driven aromas follow through on the palate with a crisp acidity and a smooth finish. 50% of the Chenin is from Elgin with the balance from the Paardeberg.

Drink with: An everyday drinking wine wonderful with or without food. Easily matched with salads and a wide variety of summer dishes with freshest ingredients.

Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Our first 100% Elgin Sauvignon Blanc shows a beautiful cool climate nose with flinty notes, flavours of grapefruit, granadilla and gooseberry. Perfectly balanced with fresh acidity, rich minerality and a crisp, yet smooth finish. 11% Semillon from Elgin adds to the complexity and mouth feel of this wine.

Drink with: Seafood dishes, shellfish, fresh acidic sauces and salads. Note that overly creamy and buttery dishes as well as fish may enhance the wine’s natural acidity.

Marguerite 2008 Complex nose of fresh citrus, toasted almonds and wild flowers. Barrel fermented and matured for 10 months. Smooth, full palate with a creamy finish. This wine showcases our Chardonnay goal of perfect fruit and oak balance.

Drink with: Pairs well with smoked foods, buttery and creamy dishes as well as a wide range of cheeses. Perfect accompaniment to Porcini and truffle stuffed chicken breast. Wine Magazine 4 stars

Viognier 2005 Peach & Apricot aromas burst from this wine. A very expressive Viognier, full bodied and delicately balanced with oak. The wine was matured in barrel for 5 months on the lees before bottling. The wine is off dry, full bodied and luxurious.

Drink with: A great match with Spicy Asian dishes and mild curries. Also delicious with a range of warm deserts. Michelangelo International Wine Show Silver Medal

Jess 2009 Strawberry, Cranberry and watermelon flavours have become a trademark of our earlier vintages of Jess, our dry rosé. The 2009 Jess over delivers on quality, with abundant juicy fruit on both the nose and the palate. A delicate blend of Pinotage and Shiraz.

Drink with: Jess has great potential with food and as aperitif. It pairs with virtually anything and will be the perfect match for salad, pizza, pasta, braai, and finger food.

Malbec 2008 Fruit in a wine glass – is the best way to describe this wine. Rich cherry, red-berry, mulberry and blueberry flavours on the nose. Berries follow through to the palate with a very smooth finish. This is our maiden Malbec release. Only 300 cases of the unwooded 2008 vintage were made.

Drink with: Great as a first red wine ahead of fuller bodied reds. Enjoy this wine with lighter red meat dishes. If cooled slightly, this wine pairs beautifully with rich seafood dishes. Perfect with pizza and pasta too.

Syrah 2007 Style change from the Shiraz 2006 prompted the name change. Hints of violets, plums and sweet spice on the nose. Fruit follows through to juicy mouth feel. The smooth, tannins on the palate confirm the promise of this elegant wine. Velvet textured layers showcase this blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre.

Drink with: The wine is very expressive with steaks, venison dishes and stands up well to spicy well matured meats. Also well paired with matured cheeses, from 12 months and up. Michelangelo International Wine Show Silver Medal

Classic 2005 A food friendly wine with a complex nose of chocolate, blackcurrant and raspberry. The firm tannin backbone supports a fruity, smooth palate with a sleek finish. Matured in barrels for 14 -16 months. Originally produced as our Reserve ’05 and replaces the original Classic 05 that was rated 87 pts in Wine Spectator.

Drink with: Confit duck, beef fillet, oxtail, rich meat dishes and well reduced sauces. Also a hit with dark cocoa chocolate in front of the fireplace. Could also be enjoyed with pasta dishes incorporating ingredients such as pork belly and wild mushrooms.

Boet Erasmus 2007 Our top red wine, named after Dana & Etienne’s late grandfather. We decided in 2007 to discontinue making the Classic and Reserve lines  and focus on only one Bordeaux blend with a change in style.

A classical New World Bordeaux blend. Dominant Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot with dollops of Malbec and Petit Verdot. Clean cut cherries and typical Cabernet berry aromas on the nose, followed by pencil shavings and cedar. Layers of flavours with clean lines. This wine achieves a wonderful balance between elegance and ripeness.

Drink with: Beef fillet, rump & sirloin steak as well as rich meat dishes with well reduced sauces. Also a hit with dark chocolate. Pairs well with a range of mature and rich cheeses. Michelangelo International Wine Show Silver Medal

It seems that a glass or two of red wine may lead to a little more ‘lust’ than ‘rust’!

The study aimed to see if moderate consumption of red wine has an any impact on women’s sexual function. The 800 non-smoking women, aged 18 to 50, completed a Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire. The questionnaire included 19 questions and had a total score range of 2 to 36. Higher scores indicates better sexual health. Women who drank more than 2 glasses per day, as well as those with sexual disorders were excluded from the sample.

Women who drank two glasses a day scored an average of 27.3 points, vs. 25.9 for those who drank one glass and 24.4 for non-drinkers. Noteworthy was the fact that the two-glass-a-day drinkers were, on average, older than the other two groups.  Age is often associated with a declining sex drive and the results here proved otherwise.

For the full story please click through to WineSpectator.

At dinner with some friends last night, one of the guy mentioned the completely exorbitant rent the  one restaurant was paying in Camps Bay. No one was surprised that they could not make it. Not sure where the landlord is hoping to find a new tenant, but I suspect he may either have to drop his rent a lot, or let the site remain empty for quite a period.  Maybe he should have adjusted his rent sooner!

The dinner was held at a restaurant in a new high end hotel in Cape Town. Apparently occupancy levels are running at around 12%! I would have thought that deals would be floating around there like crazy, but their room rates are still very high.

I recently tried to find a great deal for my daughter Jessica’s upcoming trip to the USA, where she will work in a Maine summer camp. In South Africa, where there is quite a bit of competition, the airfares are low at present. On the international routes, with limited competition to the USA, the fares still very high, despite low occupancy. Best rate was via Dubai.

It seems that some marketeers believe that running specials ‘damage their brands’ and thus ignore the realities of current supply and demand curves. Others seem to think ‘best to milk the few customers around’! My personal view is that consumers are smart and all understand how tough the economy is for consumers and businesses alike.

I suspect a lot of them (myself included) don’t admire companies who believe their brands are ‘above’ a tough economy and may actually perceive those companies as either arrogant or stupid or both. So they end up selling very little and may go bust in the process – ‘great brand’ gone at the end of the recession!

Supply and demand theory is well understood.For most products, varying levels of demand exist at different price points.Obviously different levels of supply impact demand and the prices too!

Generally the demand goes up at the lower price points. These curves also shift based on the consumer’s general confidence levels in the economy.

Right now most demand curves have moved well to the left i.e. at a given price there is less demand than a year ago.

So, will wineries damage their brands by taking stock of the current economy and offering special price promotions? I believe not. I think it shows the consumer that the winery understands the realities of the current economic crises and is acting rationally!

Vintages roll on relentlessly and wineries need to move their wines in order to fund the expense of getting the new vintage into barrels or bottles and boxes. We have put some of the wines that we need to move on special promotion and the volumes have picked up quickly.

I wish some of the businesses I have to buy from would do the same!