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Lungile Mbalo's wine revolution

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Next weekend’s Gugulethu Wine & Lifestyle Festival in Cape Town perfectly positions wine in its rightful place amid music, food, fashion and fun. It has come a long way from its humble 2009 beginnings when a small group of enthusiasts gathered in a corner of the Gugulethu Mall. This year’s wine spectacular will be at the Gugulethu Athletics Stadium. About 7 000 guests are expected and luxury brands are falling over themselves to participate in what is now commonly considered one of the Cape’s most innovative epicurean events.

Festival founder Lungile Mbalo observes that “in the early days, people thought I was mad to host such an event here because there isn’t a big history of drinking wine in Gugulethu. We had to counteract all sorts of negative misconceptions. It worked both ways – the wine producers were concerned about the township, and the township held some very negative stereotypes about wine. There was a common view in Gugulethu that wine belonged either to elitist white wine connoisseurs or beggars who drank from a bag in the street, and no one in between. I started the festival because I wanted to offer an alternative outlook.”

Mbalo remembers that “growing up in Gugulethu, my grandmother, the family matriarch, was staunchly opposed to all alcohol, but she seemed to hold a special place in hell for wine drinkers. As a young student studying psychology at the University of the Western Cape, I never once drank wine. Despite having the Cape winelands right there, it didn’t interest me. It was only in 2003 – when I was working as a pensions and employee benefits fund consultant in Johannesburg – that I went to a function and was offered a glass of Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon. Everything changed after that.

“From that first glass of wine, there was something about it that intrigued me. There was a depth of different tastes and smells that left me wanting not just to drink more, but to know more too. I felt there was a story being told in each sip. I thought it was like liquid music. I understood that I would be able to ‘read’ what the wine maker was trying to say in the same way that it is possible to feel what a jazz musician is communicating in a tune.” His appreciation for combining wine and music has never left Mbalo and is the inspiration for the plethora of DJs and live music acts playing at this year’s event.

After that first encounter, an eager Mbalo attended wine classes and tastings. He remembers his first great bottle of wine with a smile when he says: “In 2006, I tasted a Cabernet Sauvignon from Mooiplaas. That is the bottle that really converted me. It will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s like first love – you move on, but you never forget. I knew then that I had to find ways to turn my hobby into a business.”

So began the journey of taste, smell, pleasure and business that has led him to this year’s event. He explains that “wine is like people. It is such a diverse drink. I want to make the point with our exhibitors that wine is part of a broader lifestyle. Some of the more than 100 wines on show are complex and require serious focus, but many others are approachable and ‘easy drinking’ because life is like that. Some of it is complicated and some of it is
easy-going.”

There is a whole section devoted to the Rosé Rocks Competition award winners because, as Mbalo observes, “nothing says relaxation on a summer’s day like a glass of rosé”. But there are also studious master classes for those who want to further their education.

Wine and food make perfect partners and, even here, the Gugulethu festival has made some deliciously affordable, unpretentious and innovative pairings. Among the hipster food trucks, Robertson Spices are hosting a build-a-burger spread where guests can choose their own toppings and pile the pickles on high. Unlike many other wine festivals, where customers queue for tiny tasting glasses and mill around characterless convention centres with nowhere to sit and nothing to eat, the Gugulethu Wine & Lifestyle Festival promises a host of cool, shaded spots and ample seating for visitors to relax, socialise, sip slowly and enjoy the weekend vibe.

Social responsibility, economic growth and wine-focused employment opportunities for township residents have been part of the plan from the first festival onwards. This year, local businesses and labour are involved in every aspect of the event’s planning and staging.

The Pinotage Youth Development Academy, which provides vocational wine industry training to disadvantaged township and winelands youth are staffing many stalls. At least 15% of this year’s profits are being set aside for Gugulethu-specific employment opportunity enhancing, wine education and training.

The economic importance of the event is not only for the Gugulethu community but also the broader wine industry. Mbalo says “growing the wine-drinking market is essential for the industry’s survival. When I started, I wanted to create an event that would help people in the community feel confident about engaging with and enjoying wine. I think this year’s event will do just that. Wine elitism harms the wine industry because it alienates a significant sector of the potential wine-drinking public.”

Mbalo is hoping to convert all wine haters with this event, but even those who are determined to dislike the fruit of the vine are catered for with BOS Ice Tea tastings, Coca-Cola, Castle Milk Stout and food pairings and craft beer from the Newlands Spring Brewing Company. An ocean of Jameson Irish Whiskey, Absolut Vodka and Mumm Champagne awaits in the VIP tent. Perhaps cocktail-consuming women will be emboldened to enter Saturday’s best-dressed lady competition (with a R30 000 prize) once they sip the festival’s signature cocktail, the Gugutini.

One thing is sure: whether you want bubbly or burgers, the Gugulethu Wine & Lifestyle Festival serves something to suit every palate and wallet.

The Gugulethu Wine & Lifestyle Festival runs from November 6 to 8 at the Gugulethu Athletics Stadium

Tickets are R120, available from Computicket

There’s free, secure parking. For more info, visit gugulethuwinefestival.co.za, @GUGSFEST on Twitter or facebook.com/Gugulethuwinefestival

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