KWV, South Africa’s iconic wine and spirits company has reached centennial status. KWV was originally founded with the single purpose to serve the interest of the South African wine industry and to promote the image of local wines abroad in turn. This mandate changed in the 1990s when KWV’s role essentially alteredfrom that of cooperative with diverse development and co-ordination mandates, to a private company, participating and competing in the marketplace.

Today KWV is known as one of South Africa’s finest producers of wine and brandy, with numerous local and international accolades to its name. However, KWV’s proudest achievement is the shared stories about its wines and brandies, which have shaped it into a household name without which SA’s wine story can’t be told.

Over the course of its 100 years,KWV played a foundational role in the industry and careers of trailblazing winemakers and served as a leadership platform for a distinguished group of South African wine legends.  KWV provided a pioneering and development platform to the industry with many respected industry heavyweights having walked its passages and worked in its cellars:

Charles Kohler, the man who envisioned a better future for the SA wine farmer and motivated for the unification of farmers by a single body, which became KWV. Professor Izak Perold, the ‘father of Pinotage’.Buks Venter whose pioneering contribution to the brandy industry is well recognised. The list is ongoing, Ritzema de la Bat, Danie de Wet, Lourens Jonker, Charles Theron, Neil Ellis, Johann Krige, Albert Eksteen and many more.

It is the collective memories of these legends that KWV wishes to honour as it celebrates its centenary.  Boyce Lloyd, CEO at KWV said that KWV’s 100^thyear is only made possible with the support of their local and international consumers: “Turn to anyone with a longstanding history in wine or a person with a genuine love for the wine industry, and they will be able to tell you a story about KWV, its products, the great characters that forged the industry and the company. KWV’s roots spread far and wide, which is why we see the celebration of KWV’s 100th year not as ours alone. We are celebrating how far we have come as an industry”.

The company said that it wouldduring 2018 celebrate the personal accounts of wine industry personalities who once played an important role at KWV – and had a major influence on the SA wine industry as a result.The company also looks forward to exciting collaborations in the arts, commemorative product releases and truly memorable events.