After a challenging 2025 marked by tariff pressures, logistics constraints, climate risks and softer global demand, the South African wine and brandy industry enters 2026 with renewed clarity and confidence. According to South Africa Wine, the year ahead will be defined by focused execution, stronger coordination and measurable progress across the value chain as the new harvest gets underway.
Since its formal establishment in July 2023, South Africa Wine has completed its initial governance and alignment phase. The organisation has now shifted decisively toward implementation and delivery, building on several key projects completed in 2025 that laid the foundation for the work ahead.
Industry Outlook: Risks, Readiness and Direction
South Africa Wine’s mandate remains to deliver the South African Wine and Brandy Strategy, protect the industry’s licence to trade, and enable growth through effective advocacy, coordination and partnership. Three overarching objectives guide its work in 2026: improving competitiveness through a stable policy and regulatory environment; driving demand and strengthening reputation locally and globally; and building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready industry.
For producers, cellars and brand owners, this means businesses that are informed, aligned and actively engaged will be best positioned to manage risk, maintain market confidence and benefit from collective industry action.
Protecting the Licence to Trade and Operating Environment
Advocacy remains a cornerstone of the 2026 programme. South Africa Wine will continue engagement on excise duties, liquor policy and regulatory stability, while ensuring a strong industry voice in national logistics recovery initiatives and Agricultural Master Plan forums.
Trade access priorities in key export markets, including both tariff and non-tariff barriers, remain a focus, alongside intensified efforts to combat illicit trade and strengthen compliance across the value chain. A predictable and fair operating environment is seen as essential to investment confidence, business viability and long-term sustainability.
Better Data to Support Better Decisions
In an increasingly complex trading environment, improved information is critical. During 2026, South Africa Wine will continue building a unified and trusted industry data ecosystem, integrating insights across SAWIS, Vinpro, WoSA and the Wine Certification Authority within legal frameworks.
Key deliverables include real-time dashboards, regular forecasts and accessible reporting such as Wine in Numbers. These tools are designed to support advocacy, planning and confident decision-making, while also reducing inefficiencies and the cost of doing business.
Strengthening Demand, Reputation and Market Confidence
Strong demand underpins profitability. A focused domestic market strategy is currently under development and is expected to be positioned for decision-making by the end of April 2026. In parallel, wine tourism initiatives will be advanced, brandy promotion strengthened through education and activation, and South Africa’s refreshed brand positioning further embedded in priority export markets.
Consistent, unified messaging and proactive reputation monitoring aim to reinforce buyer trust and long-term brand equity for the entire industry.
Building a Future-Ready and Inclusive Industry
People development and professionalisation remain central to industry resilience. During 2026, South Africa Wine will expand professional designations, scale accredited training and lifelong learning pathways, and track impact to ensure skills development translates into productivity and improved outcomes.
Transformation and inclusive enterprise growth will continue through blended finance facilitation, incubation-to-graduation models, mentorship and leadership development, with a strong emphasis on the meaningful inclusion of black-owned brands and smaller players in domestic and export market opportunities.
Funding Certainty and Collective Strength
Statutory levy funding for the 2026–2029 period has been approved, providing certainty for core industry programmes, while additional external funding is being secured to support priority initiatives. Membership onboarding remains a priority, as participation underpins South Africa Wine’s effectiveness as a single, coordinated industry voice.
As the organisation emphasises, 2026 is about execution, profitability and partnership — ensuring that producers and businesses across the value chain do not face policy, market and sustainability challenges alone.