16/09/2025
HEINEKEN BEVERAGES BACKS ITS WINE BRANDS WITH BIG PLANS
Emboldened by its early but striking success in revitalising flagship wine brand Nederburg, HEINEKEN Beverages is poised to begin a similar exercise with another of its super-premium labels, Durbanville Hills. Nederburg Wines Durbanville Hills Wine
The multi-awarded winery, located in the Durbanville Wine Valley, has carved out a clear brand identity for its wines of fruit purity and precision, premised on their cool-climate origins. Vines, grown by a network of growers within a 10 km radius, are cooled by breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, a mere 10 km away. It released the first wines in 1999 and since then has given strong emphasis to its Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot expressions.
The brand’s proximity to the city of Cape Town has also proved a boon. Less than 30 minutes’ drive from the CBD, it boasts spectacular views of the iconic Table Mountain.
Explains Liezl Dippenaar, who heads HEINEKEN Beverages’ international wine marketing: “The brand enjoys strong recognition by virtue of its close association with Cape Town. Wine lovers are also very keen on the hallmark style of freshness and exuberance they tend to associate with cooler-climate terroir. We continue to appeal to South Africans, to show excellent growth in Europe and in travel retail, as well as in certain countries in Africa. And we’ve just inked a deal to supply the Star Pubs network in the UK with Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chenin Blanc.
“Even so, we must continue evolving to ensure we are imaginatively placed where wine lovers can readily find us and that we speak to them in ways that encourage their engagement. This is particularly urgent in the face of increased competition for consumer attention and the growing pressure on their disposable income worldwide.”
The move also comes at a time when legal drinking age (LDA) consumers are overwhelmed by choice, not just in wine but other alcoholic beverages too, while they moderate consumption to stay physically and mentally healthy.
It is in the context of such changing market dynamics that Nederburg has been the first in the group’s multi-phased project to re-invest, refresh and reset the key wine brands in its portfolio. The step change in the case of the famous Paarl winery is to ensure the well-loved label retains its strong domestic position while further advancing its international presence.
Nederburg is very well represented in major African markets, where it continues to be a favourite especially amongst women. It is South Africa’s category leader in Germany and is making strong headway across Asia, notably in India, where the potential is for growth is, what she calls “breathtaking”.
Its repositioning has involved new above- and below-the-line communications, a pack upgrade and a re-imagining of the brand home, all in the interests of attracting newcomers to wine (but ensuring retention of long-time supporters). Meanwhile, behind the scenes its initiatives have focused on strengthening the brand’s eco-sustainability reputation.
Dippenaar explains: “Nederburg is acknowledged as an eco-pioneer. It piloted the now industry-wide adopted Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) eco-guidelines that have been in place for close to 30 years. It is a WWF Champion for water stewardship and recently announced investment in a closed-loop vineyard, cellar and brand-home automated biological wastewater treatment technology. It has also been one of the early adopters of regenerative farming measures to address soil health, advance biodiversity and increase carbon sequestration. It even produces its own biochar.”
Many of these on-the-ground protocols have also been adopted by Nederburg’s longstanding network of supplier growers.
“The challenge was to translate these progressive agro-ecology principles into a meaningful identity that remained true to Nederburg’s brand cues of history (dating back to 1791) and to its longstanding traditions. But in a way that would be infused with a warm, welcoming inclusivity that would be flexible, fun and friendly, while continuing to denote inalienable quality and consistency.
“The revitalisation started in the domestic market, and we are already seeing some gains.”
She confirms that the brand is succeeding in communicating in a way that resonates with established, as well as Millennial and Generation Z audiences with its “Yours to Explore” call to action, and tagline: “There is a table waiting for you in places you can't even imagine”.
“We are offering accessible, intriguing brand experiences, from creative partnerships with Never Rush a Sunday, a laidback outdoor initiative targeting younger LDA urbanites with live music and DJs, to our Dinner of Discovery series. We’ve also worked with culinary trailblazer Studio H who conceives food and wine pairing in a fresh, casual and approachable way.
In the spirit of its “Yours to Explore” messaging, the brand home has also expanded its panoply of dining formats and experiences to see footfall increase since last year. “Wine tourism is a big priority for us.
“We have made a substantial investment in the Nederburg destination and are building partnerships with key stakeholders such as Cape Town Tourism.”
Also adding to the cachet of the brand and the brand home is the newly announced collaboration with the Cape Wine Auction, the prestige charity event that raises funds for a range of Winelands beneficiaries. Nederburg is now the host of the auction’s annual gala fundraising event.
At the same time, the brand has made sure to build its visibility and profile in travel retail, while it continues to amass international and local awards for its specialty and core wines. It came home with many medals from the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards, including a gold and score of 95 for the 2024 Heritage Heroes The Anchor Man, made from old vine Chenin Blanc. The same wine won a double gold at this year’s Michelangelo International Wine & Spirit Awards. Tim Atkin MW was another to admire the wine in his 2025 South Africa Special Report, while awarding 93 points to the core 2024 The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest.
One of the country’s most distributed wine brands, Nederburg trades across more than 80 markets globally and has often starred as one of the Drinks International World’s 50 Most Admired Wine Brands.
She says revitalised brand activations are being adopted and adapted in focused international markets to entrench support as widely as possible.
Meanwhile, Durbanville Hills, with its network of nine member farms, plans to retain its focus on cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, but with South African varietal champions Chenin Blanc and Pinotage following close behind.
In addition to a planned pack upgrade, the winery intends upping its emphasis on the critically acclaimed Tangram white and red apex blends, as well as the specialty Collectors Reserve varietal wines because of “the halo impact”. These wines excel on international competitive platforms and reflect extremely well on the range in its entirety.”
And it is keeping up its eco-credentials too, with an indigenous renosterveld garden that protects the area’s famous flora, the expansion of its olive groves to offset carbon emissions and an effluent water treatment plant that recycles water for irrigation.
Both these HEINEKEN Beverages brands are working hard to appeal to a newly working generation of Gen Z consumers, recognising that wine is just a part of their drinking repertoire, and that when they do spend, they deserve excellence and value at fair prices.
The group is encouraged by the IWSR report published in June this year, showing, according to Bevtrac research, that the proportion of legal drinking-age Gen Z consumers who have consumed alcohol in the previous six months, had risen from 66% in March 2023 to 73% in March 2025.
To quote the author of the report, Richard Halstead, speaking to Drinks International (August 28, 2025): “The evidence from the consumer data is that if people are doing something less often and on particular occasions, they want something that's interesting and worthwhile having”.
With HEINEKEN Beverages’ investment and distribution clout behind these key wine brands, watch this space.
