Discover a variety of vintages at the Wine Show Jo'burg

The Wine Show Jo'burg's event organiser, John Woodward

According to event organiser John Woodward, this year's show will be attended by a wide range of wine producers representing most of South Africa's wine regions, with more than 70% of the available exhibition stands already having been sold and reserved.

"Due to the unique format of the show, we strictly limit the number of stands to ensure that show visitors have an opportunity to explore the world of wine at leisure. The success of previous shows were attributed to the fact that visitors can browse, taste and buy wines in an informal and relaxed atmosphere, where there is enough space for personal interaction with the winemakers. This makes the whole wine experience much more fun and educational," explains Woodward.

"Exhibitors will range from small boutique wineries, historic wine estates, garagistes, wine routes, wine merchants, big cellars and some of the most renowned wine labels in the country. Once again, we've seen a huge percentage of repeat exhibitors, many of whom are substantially increasing the stand sizes for this year. For example, our single largest exhibitor from 2008 has booked 30% additional space for 2009 and will be showcasing 21 of their top clients. We've also signed a number of new exhibitors, including Ernie Els, Hermanuspietersfontein, Ken Forrester, KWV, Nederburg, Tokara and Zevenwacht."

Statistics from previous shows have indicated that the exhibitor diversity and interactive opportunities at The Wine Show Jo'burg appeal to both wine novices and connoisseurs. Exhibitors view it as a great return on investments as the show reportedly generates the highest spend per visitor of any wine expo in the country, which makes visitors the most attractive audience to be targeted for product sampling during the show.

Visitors to this year's show can once again uncover the mystery of wine in the Wine Theatre where top winemakers and experts will present free tutored tastings, while top chefs will teach the art of food and wine pairing at the Friends for Dinner Theatre.

Tickets are available at the door for R95 per person or from Computicket for R90 per person. Weekend passes are available at R140/person. Secure parking is available. Doors open from 5pm - 9pm on Friday, 12pm - 9pm on Saturday and 12pm - 6 pm on Sunday.

For more information, visit: www.wineshow.co.za.