Kumusha Wines, Sauvignon Blanc 2023

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 winemaking 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.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tinashe’s career in hospitality began as a waiter at the Roundhouse Restaurant in Cape Town, followed by a wine steward position at One&Only Cape Town’s contemporary Asian restaurant Nobu, where he was soon promoted to Sommelier. After receiving the Reaching for Young Stars Best Wine Steward Award in 2013, Tinashe was in the spotlight as the one to watch. His next career role was head sommelier at the famed Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga, followed by five years at Africa’s top restaurant, The Test Kitchen. It was at this acclaimed fine-dining restaurant where the affable ‘wine whisperer’ won the Eat Out Wine Service Award in 2016.

After a formidable career in the South African hospitality industry, working at some of Africa’s finest hotels and restaurants, respected sommelier Tinashe Nyamudoka was ready for new beginnings. Since relocating to Johannesburg, Tinashe – an accomplished master blender – is set to entrench his own wine brand, Kumusha Wines, into the South African market, as well as further afield. “For Black Africans, wine is not historically part of our culture,” he says. “I wanted to create a wine to help change that.” Tinashe started Kumusha in 2017 after reaching out to Attie Louw, one of his friends and the winemaker at Opstal, one of his favorite producers. He started with 1200 cases of a Chenin-Semillon blend that sold out in under 3 months. Tinashe cites some of the talented young producers in Swaartland who have moved in the direction of making more natural, lower alcohol, lower intervention wines as his inspiration.

Tinashe is an executive board member of non-profit organisation the Black Cellar Club (BLACC) and is part of TeamZIM that participated in the World Blind Wine Tasting Championships in 2017 and 2018. He holds a Diploma from the Cape Wine Academy, a WEST Level 3, a Certificate from the Court Of Master Sommeliers Europe, a Certificate in Wine Business Management (GSB UCT) and a Micheal Fridjohn Wine Judging Academy certificate. He is a Wine Jury at Mundus Vini Grand International Wine Awards, Germany, a wine panelist for Wine Of The Month Club, a regular judge in South Africa, tasting on the Michelangelo wine and spirits awards, the Chenin Blanc top 10 Challenge and Platter Awards Five Star panel.

100% Sauvignon Blanc. Sourced from 4-hectare vineyard called Opstal in Western Cape at 300 meters above sea level. The vine age is 16 and the soil is ancient sandstone. After destemming, all the free-run juice from the press went into a stainless-steel settling tank where it settled for 48 hours at 9C. Fermentation took about 3 weeks to finish. Occasional mixing of the tank during fermentation to stir up the lees and enhance eventual mouthfeel. Rested in stainless steel tanks on its gross lees for 4 months before bottling. 1650 cases produced.

CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE. MINIMAL INTERVENTION. LOW SULFITES. BLACK WINEMAKER.