The 10th edition of CapeWine – South Africa’s flagship wine show – comes to Cape Town in September 2025, offering buyers, importers and agents the best of South African wine.
Wines of South Africa (WoSA) is counting down to its biggest event of the year, as registrations fill up for CapeWine 2025. The event, held every three years, serves as a hub for the country’s wine trade and is a key sales and networking opportunity for the global trade.
The event, founded in 2000, has become the Southern Hemisphere’s largest wine trade show. From the 100 exhibitors present at that first edition, it has grown to showcase more than 400 of South Africa’s top producers.
Its last edition, in 2022, saw around 2,000 visitors from 60 nations register. This year, WoSA is aiming for a similarly global impact, aided by its headline sponsors, DHL Express and Hillebrand Gori.
South African character at its core
For each edition, CapeWine picks a theme to encapsulate the best of South African wine. In 2018, that was ‘Hannuwa’, a Khoisan word that connotes harmony in the connection between people and the land. In 2022, the theme of ‘Sustainability 360’
highlighted people, place and prosperity as its pillars of sustainability.
This year, with the theme of ‘Our Warmest Welcome’, the show turns to the people behind the wine. Celebrating the generous spirit of South Africa, it invites the world’s wine trade to enjoy a glass of wine or a shared meal, as well conduct business meetings. The three-day show will be an ideal time to connect with producers, share stories of the industry and be inspired by the quality and craftsmanship behind South African wine.
“This tenth edition of our flagship trade event promises to be one of the best yet,” says Siobhan Thompson, CEO of Wines of South Africa. “25 Years after the first CapeWine was launched in 2000, it has grown exponentially and the show as we know it today, has evolved to truly reflect what the South African wine industry is all about: the phenomenal wines that we produce, our wonderfully warm people, the dramatic and spectacular landscapes and the overall richness of our culture. I look forward to welcoming trade from around the world to join us for what will be an unforgettable experience.”
Opportunities to explore
Naturally, tasting and networking will be priorities for many of those attending. However, organisers are also crafting a full programme of events to offer broad perspectives on the South African wine industry.
Each day, two seminars in the John Deere Seminar Area will offer in-depth approaches to important subjects. Led by panels of experts, they will provide up-to-the-minute thinking on timely matters. Among the topics already announced are heritage estates, Pinotage, looking after root networks and regenerative agriculture.
As a less formal project, the smaller Amorim Speaker’s Corner will offer ten sessions. Led by individual expert instructors, these will cover a host of themes, and will include up to six wines per session to illustrate their impact on winemaking. Details for this programme will be announced at a later date.
For those looking to get to grips with South Africa in one fell swoop, there will also be a themed tasting zone. The 120 wines in this dedicated area will address ten crucial themes, including Chenin Blanc, Cap Classique, parents of Pinotage and no and low alcohol wines; the perfect introduction to the breadth of South Africa’s wine industry.
The SaverGlass meeting lounge will lend a further space for those all-important meetings, ensuring privacy and comfort to conduct business discussions and interviews.
CapeWine 2025 runs from 10–12 September at Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Visitors should book early to avoid disappointment, and can find advice on travelling to the show on the official CapeWine website.
Follow announcements and updates and to engage with the CapeWine team, follow them on their social channels on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
