Kumusha

By Tinashe Nyamudoka

Kumusha in the Zimbabwean Shona language translates to ‘your home’, ‘your roots’ or ‘your origin’. World Renowned Sommelier Tinashe Nyamudoka believes the best wines are representative of their region. Through a collaborative process with respect to the vine, the winemaker and the consumer, Tinashe is building a brand of wines that represent and honor their roots. Minimal intervention wine making and natural fermentation is aimed at letting the wine be free to do the talking of its origin. These are wines that Tinashe would not only like to drink himself, but wines that, from his experience as a sommelier, are representative of what is leading the way for the style of South African wines.

Avondale Wine Estate

AppelLation: Paarl

A certified Organic and Biodynamic Estate Avondale produces extraordinary wines approved by Mother Nature. Their ethos, Terra Est Vita meaning ‘Soil is Life’ encapsulates the view of Avondale Estate as a dynamic living system where soil, water and energy; plants, animals and people are part of a complex web of relationships and networks, interconnected and interdependent. Their commitment to promoting a healthy, balanced vineyard ecosystem ensures the premium quality of Avondale’s unique wines - bursting with fresh flavors that are evident in each of their individually-styled, classic wines.

Benguela Cove Wine Estate

Appellation: walker Bay

Penny Street OBE is one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in South Africa and has been transforming Benguela Cove since 2013. At one time living in a homeless refuge with three children, Penny has since built a business empire which includes Benguela Cove through her sheer hard work and tenacity. Proudly boasting some of the most sought-after terroirs in the Western Cape overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Benguela Cove has unique and beautiful stories to tell. Brought to life on the shores of this lagoon, cool maritime winds caress the vines, resulting in a cooler median daytime temperature. This allows for slow ripening, preserving the gentle characteristics of these cool climate wines. Proudly carrying the stamp of wine of origin Walker Bay, all wines are crafted with minimal intervention by award-winning cellar master, Johann Fourie.

Longridge Wine Estate

Appellation: stellenbosch

Longridge is one of the leading wine estates in the heart of the Cape Winelands near Stellenbosch, South Africa. Organic viticulture methods are utilized to the fullest in Longridge's vineyards in an effort to produce excellent quality wines with minimal environmental impact. Head winemaker, Jasper Raats, says their philosophy is simple: "We want to make enjoyable wines, which are healthy to drink and of a world-class standard.

Opstal Wine Estate

APPELLATION; SLANGHOEK

Deep in the Slanghoek Valley lies the Opstal Estate which dates back to 1847. This is a cooler wine growing climate that produces fruit forward wines due to a slower ripening of the vines. Currently under the seventh generation ownership of the Louw family and with three generations of families living on the land this estate is hugely proud of their community and history. Each wine showcases the legacy of this estate from the pocket friendly Sixpence range through to The Carl Everson heritage range. Opstal has a growing international reputation with many global accolades under current winemaker Attie Louw.

Olifantsberg Vineyards

APPELLATION: Breedekloof

Small production terroir driven wines from acclaimed winemaker Elizma Visser. Located high up on the slopes of the Olifantsberg mountain the very dry conditions lend themselves to low yielding and unique varietals for the area. Elizma’s main focus is producing wines that capture this unique location, diverse soils and the natural expression of her vineyards. She uses a natural approach with minimal intervention o produce wines full of fruit and elegance.

Nice Beverage Company

APPELLATION: Western Cape

Be Good. Be Kind. Be Nice. Nice Beverage Company is a proudly black-owned Beverage Company crafting its own table to enable greater diversity, equity and inclusion in the South African Wine industry. With wines aimed at the emerging consumer Nice Beverage currently boasts products from some of the top winemaking talent in South Africa such as Kiara Scott-Farmer, Natasha Williams, Kayleigh Hattingh and Wade Sander. Natural winemaking is at the core of everything Nice Beverage produces.

Rebel Rebel Wines

appellation: Stellenbosch

Site Specific Wines. Rebels to the roots. Independent Winemaker Kayleigh Hattingh is the founding force behind this project to produce premium minimal intervention wines. With her Syrah and Colombar, she takes you on a journey to vineyards perched on the slopes of the Bottelary Hills in Stellenbosch. Rebel Rebel Wines was founded in the chaos of the 2020 vintage. The wines are made naturally. No alterations or adjustments. Just pure terroir…

The Garajeest

appellation: Elgin

Independent Female Winemaker Callan Williams present this premium, handcrafted wine brand out of Elgin. Callan has a dream of making wine that has edge, authenticity, character and convincingly translates the honest and down to earth character of each cultivar. She takes an unconventional approach to the finer things in life, promoting passion and honesty with no boundaries. She embraces the road less travelled with a fearless spirit. Taking a stand for the rebels with a cause, the dreamers, the lovers and the believers, inspiring the thinkers to become the doers. Callan Williams is The Garajeest.

Lalela

APPELLATION: Western cape

Lalela in Zulu simply means “Come Listen” and is a project from winemaking power couple Wade Sander and Natasha Williams. The venture aims to tell the untold story of all of the people in South Africa and their influence and participation across the four hundred years of winemaking history in South Africa. Through each bottle of wine Lalela shares stories and reflections of the Cape Winelands inspired by the people, traditions, and heritage. Wade and Natasha have used their combined two decades of experience to source exceptional fruit from across the Western Cape that they process at their sharded facility in the Hemel en Aarde Valley. Lalela is in one of the most exciting projects to come out of the Western Cape to date from two of the most sought after young winemakers in South Africa. Lalela is currently a limited production project.

Jasper Raats

Single Vineyard Collection

Poetic wines with old world elegance. This entire collection is single vineyard wines. Jasper Raats is the cellar Master of Longridge wine estate but he also has his own passion for creating wines that are not always run of the mill. He is not scared to push traditional boundaries. The wine making process of the Jasper Raats collection is distinctive in character; the grapes are terroir driven and epitomizes the micro climate of the single vineyard from where they originate. His wines are created from small pockets of individual vineyards especially selected by Jasper. His  personality is evident in the wines, where he uses techniques and produce styles that are sometimes a-typical to the cultivar. The Jasper Raats Collection makes a statement and will leave a lasting memory on the drinker.

 Three Quarters

Appellation: Stellenbosch

Mahalia Kotjane’s passion for wine stems from a school project on microorganisms where she researched the role yeast plays in the fermentation process. Coming from a township in the City Mahalia ventured to the Western Cape to study agriculture before getting her first job in the wine industry in 2011. Roles as a winemaker at Stark-Condé and Lievland Family Wines followed before Mahalia decided to venture on her own under her label Three Quarters. Her maiden release is a Syrah, the first varietal she produced as a student. She believes in the role the weather, terroir and creative process play in creating wine and thus creates wine with as little intervention as possible.

 Knorhoek

APPELLATION: STELLENBOSCH

Site Specific Wines. The Knorhoek Valley in the Simonsig area of Stellenbosch is famous for two things – Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc. When the Proudly Ukrainian Gaiduk family purchased the property in 2012 they decided to keep it simple, and to just make those two wines at the site. Utilizing the skills of renowned Winemaker  Schalk Opperman and Viticulturalist  Nico Walters, the Gaiduk family have restored this site to its former glory and are making some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon you will taste in South Africa at a price that is unheard of in many regions around the world. Profits from this Estate are currently supporting the war effort in the Ukraine.

 Brunia Wines

APPELLATION: SONDAGSKLOOF

Starting his career as assistant winemaker at  Mullineux, Wade Sander purchased Brunia with his viticulturist brother Brett in 2016. Together the brothers have transformed the farm into a mixed farming organic and biodynamic operation. The process of conversion has come at significant cost, both in terms of reduced yields and expense, all in pursuit of developing and sustaining healthy living soils and the cultivation of fruit imbued with exceptional quality. Their mantra is outstanding wines require exceptional grapes. This project is one of the most daring in the Western Cape, but the wines produced so far although in very small quantities are drawing great acclaim.