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.

Kloovenburg Wine Estate

APPELLATION: SWARTLAND

The first registered Wines Estate in the Swartland, Kloovenburg dates back to 1704. Stretching along the lower contours of Kasteel Mountain the estate offers a diverse collection of soils and altitudes and where south-easterly facing slopes have proven to be ideal for the Shiraz cultivar. The current custodians the Du Toit family have re-invigorated the Vineyards since 1997 and with the appointment of young female winemaker Jolandie Fouche in 2015 this Vineyard is now producing an exceptional selection of warm climate wines.

Piekenierskloof Wine Estate

APPELLATION: PIEKENIERSKLOOF

Nestled in the Citrusdal Mountains, some 50 kilometers north of the Swartland, is the magnificent Piekenierskloof plateau, which provides the perfect natural environment for vineyards to thrive. First settled in 1923, Piekenierskloof is a family owned Estate currently being farmed by the third generation of the Van Zyl family. Un-grafted bush vines planted in the 1950’s are still used in the production of Piekenierskloof’s range of Fairtrade wines including their award winning Grenache. This is rough terrain and current winemaker Hendrien Vercueil is the perfect fit for this single Vineyard Appellation having been born and raised in the Piekenierskloof Valley.

La Vierge Wine Estate

appellation: hemel-en-aarde

La Vierge wines is nestled in the folds of the breath-taking Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, close to Hermanus. Their lovingly tended vineyards are characterized by long cool summers influenced by the close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The un-spoilt beauty and provenance of this virgin terroir is reflected in the Garden of Eden theme of their branding. This is a place of distinction, where the young team celebrate outstanding Pinot Noir and other cooler climate wines – wines of desire.

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.

Rainbows End Wine Estate

APPELLATION: STELLENBOSCH

Rainbows End is a boutique family vineyard offering quality from beginning to end. The Malan family have adopted a combination of traditional and new-world wine-making techniques. Anton, the cellar master, and brother Francois, the viticulturist and winemaker, take part in the various phases of production. Bunch selection, picking at dawn, sorting and plunging in open fermenters are all scrupulously done by hand to create these unique Bordeaux style Stellenbosch wines.

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.