SOUTH AFRICA'S KUMUSHA WINES SPREADING ITS ROOTS WORLDWIDE
Saying Tinashe Nyamudoka has put his time into the wine business would be a bit of an understatement.
Starting at Roundhouse Restaurant in Cape Town South Africa, then going to get his WSET level 3 certificate from Court of Master Sommeliers Europe, a certificate in Wine Business Management, being an executive board member of the non-profit organization The Black Cellar Club (BLACC), and the list goes on.
But the most important title Tinashe has is Owner of Kumusha. Meaning “your home”, “your roots” or “your origin” in Zimbabwean Shona, Tinashe’s goal with creating Kumusha was to help bring more representation of Black business owners into the wine industry. Working with grape growers who practice minimal intervention, Tinashe takes the juice and does his magic making a line of wines that are not only at an approachable price, but they are DELICIOUS!
As a Black man who has been around the alcohol industry since I was 13, I think it is important for people like Tinashe Nyamudoka to get spotlighted. It is important that people of color know and see that there are people that look like them not only working in the industry but being on top of it as well.
And Tinashe is not alone, looking in our store you can find other Black-owned labels like Brown Estate in Napa and Maison Noir Wines in Oregon. With the style of wines Tinashe is making; easy drinking, straightforward and clean, and more people willing to try Natural Wines that are more “traditional” in taste, he will easily be able to spread his roots worldwide.
2020 Kumusha Chenin Blanc, Breedkeloof Valley Johannesburg, South Africa
This is a perfect wine to showcase when we at the store talk about a wine being fruity without being sweet, because there is plenty of fruit to go around in this South African Chenin, but at no point does it become sweet. Notes of peach, white nectarine, apricot, hints of pineapple and melon fruit all have a part to play in the flavor profile. This ample amount of fruit leads to a rounded mouthfeel that coats your palate and settles in for a bit.
$13.99 a bottle
2020 Kumusha Sauvignon Blanc, Breedkeloof Valley Johannesburg, South Africa
Bright fruit with a round body, this South African Sauvignon Blanc has tons of depth. Tropical fruit hits the palate first, a combination of melon and citrus. Delicate notes of bell pepper and jalapeno add a savory characteristic, while white nectarine notes come in to balance out the spice. This isn’t a very acidic wine, but it also doesn’t have a big weight in the mouthfeel. While it is light on the palate, it is not light on flavor.
$14.99 a bottle
2019 Kumusha Cabernet Sauvignon, Breedkeloof Valley Johannesburg, South Africa
Another offering from Samantha Sheehan of POE winery. We first sampled her sparkling wine prowess when we tasted and stocked her sparkling Cabernet Franc under the Ultraviolet label, so we were totally down to give Une Femme The Callie a spin. Made from 42% Pinot Noir, 39% Mourvedre and 19% Chardonnay this is a Brut Rose all about freshness. Loaded with apple skin on the nose with notes of red berries and a touch of creamy caramel. Nice fine bead and not weighted down by too much toast. Really full flavored with a snappy, crisp finish.
$14.99 a bottle
2020 Kumusha Cabernet-Cinsault Blend Slanghoek, South Africa
What a playful Cabernet (75%) and Cinsault (25%) blend this is! The Cabernet spends 9 months in French oak, while the Cinsault rest in stainless steel. The nose gives you a combination of dark roasted fruit and rose petals. On the taste, the roasted fruit becomes a little more distinctive, becoming dried plums and black cherries. Along with the light tannins, there is a savory, black olive, characteristic that brings a balance to this wine like Luke Skywalker did the Force.