We are very excited to launch the Ses’fikile wines into our portfolio.

Ses’fikile is run entirely by women and is the creation of Nondumiso Pikashe, a former high school teacher who founded and runs Ses’fikile which means ‘we have arrived’ in Xhosa. 

Not only is Nondumiso passionate about the wines she creates, as a former teacher she is also passionate about education and giving children opportunities, awareness, and access to the wine industry. With this in mind, she has been running initiatives with Stellenbosch University to run day courses for secondary school pupils to tour winemaking facilities, get an overview of agriscience programmes and chat with existing viticulture and oenology students in order to see a career in wine as an exciting and viable path for the future.  

Nondumiso is also working hard to shift perceptions and education around wine due to the alcohol abuse that is frequent in the townships of South Africa. Growing up in Gugulethu, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town, the abuse of alcohol was commonplace, and she is working hard to change attitudes around wine through education and through providing opportunities to people, breaking down race, gender, and socio-economic barriers.  

Nondumiso first ventured into the world of wine with a few of her colleagues from school who got in touch with the Black Association of Wine and Spirits Industry (BAWSI) and embarked on creating their brand. Whilst her colleagues returned to teaching, she kept going as sole owner, meticulously deciding all aspects of the wine; from the vineyards the grapes are sourced from, to all winemaking decisions and the final blend. These careful and quality-based decisions have paid off, with her Chenin Blanc/Roussanne recently being awarded 95 points by Decanter. 

Ses’fikile Chenin Blanc/Roussanne 

As is customary in our tasting selection process, we initially tasted this wine blind and loved the freshness and texture of the wine. 

Made from a blend of 90% Chenin and 10% Roussanne, the grapes are picked at night and pressed, the juice then undergoes fermentation using its indigenous yeasts and is left on its fine lees until bottling. The resulting wine has juicy tropical fruits, quince, tangerine and floral with a hint of honey and a subtle smoky mineral character on the finish. Pair with salads, fish dishes or uMvubo. 

Ses’fikile Shiraz/Cinsault 

A blend of 90% Shiraz and 10% Cinsault fermented using wild yeasts and stays on the skins for 30 days. A medium bodied and eminently drinkable red, characterised by fresh red cherries and wild strawberries with a hint of balsamic and spicy pepper on the finish. Nondumiso recommends pairing with a traditional tripe dish such as Mogodu.