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Lorraine Immelman
Founder and director of Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits
Awards (South Africa), the leading wine competition in Africa.
25 years later, it is considered one of the top wine and spirits
competitions with international recognition. Lorraine holds
a Masters degree in Communication (Media and Journalism)
from the Rand Afrikaans University and an Advanced Diploma
in Marketing Management from the SA Institute of Marketing
Management. Lorraine worked as TV journalist and news
producer, editor and publisher with various newspapers, and
also founder of two trade magazines.
MICHELANGELO INTERNATIONAL

WINE AWARDS, CAPE TOWN

Wine competitions are a living tool in the brand awareness and create some hype for
hand of the winemaker, the wine marketer their wines. Likewise, the informed wine con-
and also the wine consumer: wine producers sumer recognises and understands the value
depend on ratings and good reviews to assist of these awards, represented by a sticker on
in their sales and marketing strategies. They a bottle of wine.
especially depend on accolades from recogni-
sed, high profile wine competitions to drive THE VALUE OF WINE COMPETITIONS
The producer’s ultimate goal when entering
a competition is obtaining those medal stic-
kers for the wine bottles which will catch the
eye of consumers. The award should tell the
consumer that the wine was awarded a medal
by a sound jury under the banner of a credi-
ble, reputable competition which adds value
to the wine. An award gives the producer
bragging rights, it enforces the reputation of
the winery and allows the wine to stand out
among its peers.
Following the devastation left in the wake of
the global Corona pandemic, the wine indust-
ry has never been in greater need of credible
and well-organised wine competitions.
The future of international wine compe-
titions lies squarely in the hands of the pe-
ople who own and organize them. It is our
responsibility to ensure that wine producers
and marketers continue to see value in endor-
sing our competition, while consumers need
to understand what the medal award sticker
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