Several black wine brands, including Amari, House of Azari, Crufine Wine, Nanora Wine and Siwella Wine, will be attending the Champagne & Bubbles Festival, which will be held at the Inanda Polo Club in Sandton from 11am to 16h00-16h00 on May 24th and 25th.
This year, the highly popular annual event will feature some of South Africa's best cap classes, including some of the black producers who are expected to continue to unravel greater opportunities for economic participation in South Africa's wine industry.
“We're looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Sazi Ngcobo, Amari co-founder. “We will pour Amari Lush at the festival and sell it. We'll visit the stand and say hello and taste it.
In the long run, Ngcobo considers Amari an international brand.
“Our plan is to launch Brut and as soon as Rose (Amari Brush) continues, we will tackle Africa. The focus market is Nigeria, Angola and Ghana. Our ultimate goal is to become a globally recognized brand that is proudly South Africa.”
Three years ago, Pretoria-based Siphiwe Katjene's lifelong dream came true when she launched her own unique cap classic brand called House of Azari. According to her, the name is rooted in Arabic and means “Divine aid, power, strength, fire, pioneering spirit, spiritual idealist.”
Katjene will showcase three cap classes at the festival, including a classic Pinot Noir cap with strawberry and raspberry scents layered with delicate spices and floral scents, and Nectal Rose. Her Brut Blanc de Blancs 2020 awarded a score of 90 in the Tim Atkin 2023 SA Wine Report. It embraces the true essence of Chardonnay grapes and tastes crisp sourness, green apple notes and hints of toasted brioche. and a light pink color with subtle hints of her brut rosé, elegant Pinot Noir/Chardonnay bubbles, red berries, cherry and grapefruit.
“This wine is proud to have been awarded a gold medal at the InterContinental Wine Challenge 2024,” she says.
The festival also features Kwanele Nyawo, CEO and co-founder of Kul Fine Wine with Niel Van Staden. Nyawo worked for an insurance company for nearly 14 years before embarking on his entrepreneurship journey. Along with Van Staden, she began Mzansi Craft Wine and Khulu shortly afterwards.
“Crew means “great” or “luxurious” in Ishizuru. Niel and I wanted to create a gorgeous wine brand where those words apply because we love the good things in life.
Khulu's bubbles are called Izigidi and mean “millions” of Isizulu.
“It's a classic of a beautiful Blanc des Blanc cap made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, complex and luxurious with the secondary aroma of the orange flowers on the nose and lemon zest. It really combines well with seafood, salads and cheese,” says Nyawo.
Nanora Wine, a brand owned by 100% black women, will also be present. This carries elements of personal stories, family, culture and origin, taking into account the birth of founder Silindile Zuma as a way to pay homage to his late father. The name itself comes from a mashup of the conditions of affection that Zuma's father used to call her in the fundamental sense of “female strength.”
At the festival, Nanora wine will feature a blend of nanola crown brute, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with white citrus flower notes and whispers of white roses. There is also Nanola Crown Brut Rosé with a nice bouquet of flowers that express a mixture of berry fruit florals and a hint of Muscat, which will take you well to the palate and leave you with a long-lasting aftertaste.
“It's a gorgeous fresh fruity pink sparkling wine for everyday enjoyment and is a great partner for salads, seafood and light meals,” Zuma says.
Last but certainly important is a wine company owned by a black woman in South Africa.
“We've seen a lot of fun and fun,” said Siwella Sweetness Masoga, winemaker and owner of Siwella Wine.
“We are passionate about what we do and strive to produce unique and accessible wines of consistent quality,” she concludes.
Other bubble producers at this year's Johannesburg Cap Classique, Champagne & Bubbles Festival will include Anthonij Rupert Wyne (L'Ormarins), Black Elephant Vintners, Boschendal, Carrol Boyes Wines, Graham Beck, Haute Cabrière (home of Pierre Jourdan), JC Le Roux, Laborie Cap Classique, Quoin Rock, The House of BNG, Villiera Wines, Wcellar.
Food stalls include taco burgers, King Arabic, Dim Sam Fest, Fresh, Chateau Gato, Christine's Bilton and Holly's Nugat.
This year's theme is refined floral chic, with a fantastic prize that is awarded the best dressed.
Tickets are available through Webtickets and includes a Hospitality Ticket* (R850pp), dedicated entry access to the venue, a dedicated area for hosts and security guards, welcome glasses of Taytittitter Champagne, branded crystal tasting glass, 20 tasting coupons and a complimentary foaming bottle. It also includes a general admission ticket (R450PP) that includes the brand's crystal tasting glasses and 10 tasting coupons.
*Chospitality tickets on Saturday are sold out, but are still available on Sunday.
Johannesburg Cap Classic, Champagne & Bubbles Festival
Inanda Polo Club, Sandton Saturday, 24th and Sunday, May 25th, 2025, 11am to 2:30pm, Webtickets 14 hours a day to 4pm ticket sales and live music
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