If you Google the name of Mike Ratcliffe, the first listing that beams out at you is: Mike Ratcliffe Elvis Tribute artist.
Although there is no record of Mike ever actually donning a black wig and rhinestone suit in public the wines that he produces on his Warwick estate out in Stellenbosch are all number 1 hits and demand an enthusiastic encore.
This year Vilafonté , the first American-South African wine making collaboration, was awarded 5 stars in the 2009 Platters Wine guide for their Vilafonté Series C 2006 red blend. But even such an achievement doesn’t guarantee that he won’t be singing the blues.
As the marketer of a couple of South Africa’s most active brands internationally, Mike sits in the unique position of having to recreate his brands every year. Without the luxury of traditional advertising tools, he carefully creates his brand around harsh wines critics, award shows, public cellar tours and thousands of local and international competing brands to market his product. The wine industry may sound glamorous, but it’s a mosh pit in reality where only the strong survive.
Instead of fighting the onslaught of public opinion and critical review, Mike has mastered the art of working with the word-of-mouth buzz generated by his annual vintage to his advantage. An art in an industry where everybody is an expert.
