Germain Lehodey, president of the South African sommelier association, test a glass of wine at...

Germain Lehodey, president of the South African sommelier association, test a glass of wine at the VinItaly exhibition in Verona April 1. South African wine producers, shunned for years under apartheid, launch their first formal marketing drive in Italy where there is a growing demand for local vintages. Six South African wine producers have been selected to partecipate in the Vin Italy exhibition, held in Verona annually. South Africa expects its overall 2000 wine exports to top 137 milllion litres, boosted by strong marketing bids in new markets and in areas where the country already has a growing presence [such as in Europe, the U.S. and parts of Asia].