Black winemakers set to sparkle at Johannesburg Cap Classique, Champagne & Bubbles Festival

The Star

19-05-2025

Partnered Content | Published 5 hours ago
Several black-owned wine brands – including Amari, House of Azari, Khulu Fine Wines, Nanola Wines and Siwela Wines – will be in attendance at the upcoming Johannesburg Cap Classique, Champagne and Bubbles Festival, which takes place on May 24 and 25 at the Inanda Polo Club in Sandton from 11am to 4pm.
This year, the hugely popular annual event will feature some of South Africa's finest Cap Classiques including several from black producers which it is hoped will continue to unlock greater opportunity for their economic participation in South Africa's wine industry .
Says Sazi Ngcobo, co-founder of Amari: 'We will be pouring and selling our Amari Lush at the festival, and we'd love attendees to visit our stand, say hello and have a taste. It's a lush Cap Classique embodying a balance of structure and a resounding elegance from Chardonnay, with a hint of honey to round it off.'
In the long term Ngcobo sees Amari as an international brand.
'Our plans are to launch a Brut, followed by a Rosé (Amari Blush) and then we plan to take on Africa, with our focus markets being Nigeria, Angola and Ghana. Our ultimate goal is to be a globally recognised brand that is proudly South African.'
Three years ago, Pretoria-based Siphiwe Katjene's lifetime dream came true when she launched her very own Cap Classique brand called House of Azari. The name, she says, is rooted in Arabic and signifies 'divine assistance, power, strength, fire, a pioneering spirit and a spiritual idealist.'
Katjene will be showcasing her three Cap Classiques at the festival including her Nectar Rosé, a Pinot Noir Cap Classique with an aroma of strawberries and raspberries , layered with subtle spices and floral notes; her Brut Blanc De Blancs 2020, awarded a score of 90 in the Tim Atkin 2023 SA Wine Report, that embraces the true essence of Chardonnay grapes, with a vivacious dance of crisp acidity, green apple notes and a hint of toasted brioche; and her Brut Rosé, an elegant Pinot Noir/Chardonnay bubbly, light pink in colour with aromas of red berries, cherries and subtle hints of grapefruit.
'I'm proud to say that this wine was a warded a Gold medal at the Intercontinental Wine Challenge 2024,' she says.
Also at the festival will be Kwanele Nyawo, CEO and co-founder of Khulu Fine Wines with Niël van Staden. Nyawo spent almost 14 years working for an insurance company before embarking on an entrepreneurship journey. Together with Van Staden, she started Mzansi Craft Wine and Khulu shortly thereafter.
'Khulu means 'great' or 'extravagant' in isiZulu. Niël and I wanted to create a luxury wine brand those words would apply to, as we both love the good things in life.