Nkululeko Mkhwanazi heads up his own business in Johannesburg, named Kapa Lodumo Wines, where he is the custodian of a handful of top local wine brands, including Creation, as well as an international portfolio.
But his first foray into wine tasting was a little unpromising!
‘In my teens I was fascinated when my father drank wine with friends. There was something unique about the ritual. They almost seemed to revere the process, which they certainly didn’t do with any spirit or beer!
‘When I was a little older, I would taste the leftover wines…and they were bitter and unpleasant to my palate then.’
But a chance visit to Stellenbosch turned out to be the first move in what would become a passionate lifelong journey.
‘In my post-matric year in 2000, I had my first real wine tasting experience, and it was life changing. It was presented by Simon Barlow who owns Rustenberg Wines in Stellenbosch. I paid attention and was really blown away. That led to wanting a better understanding of wine.’
If it were not for a fortuitous switch in his university curriculum, the industry might have lost a committed ambassador.
‘I initially studied accounting at UCT and then switched to PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) which I loved.’
One of his first moves between wrestling with world dynamics and critical thinking was to join the university’s wine club.
The club met every Friday with a different theme and wine tasting.
‘A lot of my mates were off and partying at 6pm on a Friday but I never missed an evening back then. It became a ritual and a routine. I became “the wine guy” on campus and an unofficial ambassador. I made sure that every weekend involved a trip to the winelands.’
That enthusiasm never left Nkulu, but career-wise it meant starting from the bottom.
‘I started working as a waiter in Cape Town. The restaurant sold a lot of wines and by then I had started studying through the Cape Wine Academy.
‘When I told my parents about my plans, I was surprised when they agreed to this career direction. I was particularly nervous to chat with my father, but he said that he could see I was passionate about the prospect and that it wasn’t just a whim.
‘Before he passed away, I had some fantastic wine tastings with him.’
Today Nkulu sets up tastings, helps clients to stock their cellars, and sources special wines for them. He also has a particular interest in developing a younger market.
‘I think the key is to make the tasting fun and welcoming. I believe my role is to get people excited, get them to fall in love with wine more and take their journey to another level.’
Regarding Creation, he says: ‘The first thing I always say about Creation centres on their innovation and their specialisation with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. To my knowledge, they were also the first winery to use fine Riedel glassware, which makes a huge difference to a tasting experience.
‘I also associate Creation with excellence, freshness and experience. The menus are so carefully planned, and every time I visit, I have a different food pairing journey.’
For more information about Creation’s current Autumn Pairing Menu, which celebrates the ‘culture’ in Agri-Culture, please click here.