Lerato Pretorius, director of Lavo Wines, is quickly becoming a prominent figure in South Africa’s wine export industry.
With an export licence, she sends her sparkling wine to Reunion Island and has also officially registered her brand in Uganda, with the aim of expanding to east Africa.
This year, Pretorius is set to expand even further, with plans underway to begin exporting to North and South America.
“Navigating this landscape has been both a challenge and a learning opportunity,” said Pretorius.
She said one of the biggest lessons she has learned is the importance of understanding the different regulatory bodies in the countries you export to.
“You have to be aware of the standards’ bureaus, revenue authorities, and, where applicable, agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Health certifications are a must,” she explained.
Pretorius, who employs six full-time staff and four part-time, said her company has been able to access support from the government in managing these processes.
“Reunion has overtaken our southern regional sales, possibly because we have not focused as much on local marketing strategies,” she noted.
She said their wine goes through a meticulous production process to maintain high-quality standards.
“Our winemaker crafts the wine, the wine master ensures the balance and taste, and finally, the cellar team does the final checks to ensure it is market ready,” said Pretorius.
She offers a variety of wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Pretorius is a member of Wine of Colour South Africa, where she works alongside other black women winemakers to promote their products collaboratively.
Together, they hosted a wine and food festival in May and June in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, where wines from different countries were showcased.
“This collaboration shows the power of working together as black women in the wine industry. Our upcoming trip will take us to Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Italy from September 18 to October 15, 2025. The timing is perfect because while South Africa harvests grapes in February, March and April, these countries harvest in September.”
Lavo Wines was recently featured in an exhibition hosted by Proudly South African at Prison Break Market in Johannesburg.
Proudly SA CEO Eustace Mashimbye said there was a shift in the type of wines gaining popularity.
“Consumers in general prefer the bold, red wines during the cooler months and gravitate towards the crisp, fruity flavoured drinks such as chardonnays during the warmer seasons.
“We have also seen an increasing interest in Pinotage, which is great because it is a unique South African varietal. We also witnessed a growing interest in Chenin Blanc during the warmer seasons,” said Mashimbye.
