Stormhoek 'Fresh Before'.  Add/Read Comments

Stormhoek Freshness

South African brand Stormhoek is introducing 'fresh before' dates to its rear labels. Initially the Pinot Grigio, the Sauvignon Blanc and the Rosé will be marked with 'To enjoy this wine at its freshest and best, consume before January 2007'.

This I think is a great move - labels with 'drink this wine within two years of purchase' are essentially useless. How long exactly has the wine been residing on the merchants shelf? Novices can often assume that all red wines, for example, are better after extended storing, so the adoption of this device on the red wines (to be introduced shortly) is also to be welcomed.

As you may be able to make out from the rather poor quality image, Stormhoek have a website. This is actually a blog, started last April, but not updated this month. Few details on this freshness initiative sadly, no images, no discussion on the possible problems and the benefits of the scheme either. I am sure other wine bloggers have thoughts on this concept - get your trackbacks comments working guys!

Stormhoek.com
"in the bottle, Stormhoek Standards are about capturing the freshness and vitality of South Africa. Our wines buzz with excitement and life. Whites and rosés that are fresh, crisp, zesty, bouyant, vibrant, enticing. Reds that are jammy, satisfying, plump. Styles that are relevant, modern and attractive to our customers. All delivering outstanding value. All tasting fantastic."