St Helena Island, renowned for its remote location and preserved natural beauty, remains a lesser-known market for wine despite its historical ties to South Africa’s Groot Constantia estate. In 2024, just over 21,000 litres of South African wine were imported to the South Atlantic island, reflecting a modest but steady demand shaped by the island’s unique circumstances.
Covering 122 square kilometres—roughly half the size of Bloemfontein—St Helena’s population of around 4,000 limits the scale of its wine market. Red and white wines are supplied in nearly equal volumes, yet nearly half of the imports are sweet and fortified varieties, echoing the island’s historical connection to Cape wine. Napoleon Bonaparte, who spent his final six years in exile on St Helena, was introduced here to the Cape’s famed Grand Constance wines. While Groot Constantia wines are available locally, retail shelves predominantly feature brands such as Sedgwick’s Old Brown Sherry.
Geographical isolation remains the primary challenge for the island’s wine trade. Situated 1,950 kilometres from northern Namibia, St Helena faces significant logistical hurdles, compounded by limited communication and medical infrastructure. The construction of an airport in 2017 and the landing of an undersea fibre optic cable in 2021 have improved connectivity but have yet to fully alleviate these constraints.
Local wine consumption is supported by expatriates, contract workers, yacht crews, and cruise ship visitors. Several importers operate on the island despite high taxes that substantially increase retail prices. Tara Wortley, director of Rose and Crown Limited—a third-generation family business that functions as retailer, importer, and wine festival organiser—notes that heavy duties impact profitability. For instance, a bottle of Boekenhoutskloof’s The Wolftrap retails at £11.50 (R277.70) with a duty of £5.50 (R132.79) per bottle.
Rose and Crown hosts the island’s largest wine event, an annual wine festival held every November since 2013. This exclusive, formal gathering sells only 200 tickets, underscoring the strong local interest despite the island’s small size. The company also operates eight retail outlets in Jamestown, Ladder Hill, Longwood, and at the airport, stocking well-known South African brands such as Delheim, Springfield, and Vondeling.
Other popular brands available on St Helena include Dunstone, Beyerskloof, Robertson Winery, Four Cousins, Durbanville Hills, Protea by Anthonij Rupert Wyne, Nederburg, Drostdy Hof, and KWV. Brandy selections such as Richelieu, Wellington VO, and KWV also feature, with three-year-old brandies priced around R650 per bottle.
Despite the challenges, local winemaking efforts exist. The late Paul Hickling, founder of the St Helena Distillery, produced wine using South African grape juice, while Derek Richards, owner of Richards Travel Lodge, makes wine privately using a kit imported from the United States.
Though a small and complex market, St Helena Island remains a welcoming destination for South African wine exporters, blending a rich historical legacy with a unique consumer base in one of the world’s most remote communities.
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