It’s a phrase (there's always something new from Africa, for the Latin-challenged) I’ve written in connection with Vergelegen but I never thought I’d have the occasion to apply it to the KWV.

‘Today, 1st July, was our first birthday,’ confided KWV CEO, Thys Loubser. ‘By that date I had promised everyone that all the re-organisation would be over and the company would be able to settle and look to the future. To celebrate, everyone had cake – good cake to show their worth – and was encouraged to write down their wishes for the company over the coming year. We’ll see how far we’ve progressed next July.’ This ambitious, extra-ordinary tale came after a meeting to introduce KWV’s four new brand managers and discuss ‘wine brands, innovation and the future’, as the invitation put it.

As a sort of anchor – things were pretty free flowing! – was Jonathan Cherry, partner in Cherryflava, whose website advertises the company as specialising `in unconventional marketing strategy … for progressive marketers who want an unconventional approach’.

So far, so well matched. But as much as the event was billed to meet the new brand managers and those attending were asked for their input on a wide range of aspects regarding the wine industry generally, it was clear the KWV was using this as a marketing opportunity in itself.

But at least I realised, after time spent with Richard Rowe and Kobus van Graan, winemaker and viticulturist respectively, back in April (see my article Shifting Dinosaurs), that this meeting wasn’t so unconventional, nor were the motives superficial. The desire to turn around and make the company successful runs right the way from the ground (literally) up.

En route, there’s still a heck of a lot to do. If the need to develop a strong corporate identity is one that’s important to the company, another most pressing issue, one that consumers will understand, is to give KWV a positive human face; closing the gap between drinker and winemaker, as someone put it. The problem – throughout the wine industry - often starts in the tasting room, where visitors are served by someone who a) doesn’t appear much interested in what he/she is doing and/or b) knows very little about the wines on offer. Yet this person, whatever his/her title, is responsible for establishing a relationship between consumer and producer. Few wineries seem to appreciate this, as Wine magazine’s controversial Shoot Out often highlighted. I always felt it was a pity the publication chickened out and dropped that section – no doubt fearing a drop in advertising from those who received less than favourable reviews!

In his introductory presentation, Jonathan Cherry illustrated the effectiveness of closing the gap – albeit on a different level from the tasting room experience. As a guest at the annual Constantia potjiekos competition, he not only had a great evening, but met the winemakers and enjoyed their wines; Cape Point Vineyards has since become a regular on his shopping list, while he became a Steenberg devotee after the flagship tasting at the winery (see All of a twitter). Cherry pointed out that the use of electronic communication (Twitter in this case) made even those virtually rather than actually at the tasting feel part of the event.

The feel good factor about both these producers for Cherry lies not only in their wines but everything else about them, including the farms and people involved.

This is also part of the challenge for KWV, more so because of their often less than distinguished past. In that regard, Cherry threw out the question, ‘Is there value in the heritage of the old KWV?’ Responding to that literally, Loubser said it would be mad to even think of getting rid of La Concorde (the imposing/impressive – take your pick - company headquarters in Paarl); ‘There are many people in Paarl who feel they own KWV,’ he admitted, ‘La Concorde is very much part of that ownership.’

If this is so, there’s much more at stake than a new KWV rising from the ashes; is it so far-fetched to believe its success could help erase the stigma that hangs over Paarl as a Wine of Origin, even though such stigma originated partially from the area’s many large wineries, KWV included?

I’ve bemoaned often enough wineries such as Vrede en Lust and Rupert and Rothschild, both of which fall within the Simonsberg-Paarl Ward of Paarl District, yet are in denial by aligning themselves from a marketing point of view with Franschhoek. This week, whilst tasting the Arra wines for Platter, I came across similar cynicism. The winery lies on the R44, just after the Klapmuts turn off from the N1, so decisively within the Paarl WO and not far from the town itself. But what is written on their label - Arra Vineyards, R44 Stellenbosch – WO Paarl almost an afterthought printed at the end. It would be good to think all such nonsense will cease should the KWV help to make everyone Proudly Paarl.

If I appear, in these very early days, very up-beat about KWV and its future, I should add a proviso. It won’t be lost upon readers that the newly-appointed brand managers are all pale males, as the photo reveals (introducing from left to right – De Bruyn Steenkamp, Jeff Gradwell, Werner Swanepoel & Gareth Haarhoff). In fact the uniform shade of everyone who attended last week’s meeting was pale. In the engine room, both winemaking and viticulture, KWV is more representative of the South African population; let’s add that challenge to the marketing echelons, which will be a step to encouraging broader appreciation of their wares.