LIFESTYLE - TINASHE

Interview

TINASHE

NYAMUDOKA

At just 36 years old, Tinashe Nyamudoka is the winemaker, entrepreneur, sommelier and the founder of Kumusha Wines.

My name is Tinashe Nyamudoka, I was born and bred in Harare, Zimbabwe. I am a UNISA Accounting/Science dropout. I left Zimbabwe in 2008 and came to Cape Town to find work in restaurants, and that’s how I got introduced to wine— which led me to my current career path. Since then I have earned a diploma from the Cape Wine Academy and a post-graduate diploma in wine business management from UCT, and completed a number of wine judging courses along the way.

I have always been curious, a goal-getter, but also very practical; if I set my eyes on something, I’ll go all out to make it happen without being afraid of taking risks. What drives me is that I’ve always had an inborn need to constantly prove myself; I realized that I wasn’t an academic but enjoyed entrepreneurship.When I started, all I knew was that I found pleasure in creating things; I like the process of building something from the ground up more than the completed project, so I am always looking for new opportunities. I look around me for inspiration, but primarily my inspiration is drawn from my grandfather. He wasn’t an entrepreneur but a successful rural communal farmer who I look up to; his story was never told, but I learned a lot from him.

What drew me to entrepreneurship and winemaking is definitely exposure; while working in the restaurants, I met many people who came to dine. I learnt a lot from interacting with business people, professionals, reading and networking—which opened my eyes. When opportunities came my way, I took my chances, and my boss turned mentor encouraged me, Attie the winemaker, still helps me.

I think a business mind comes naturally to me, but it’s something I had to embrace and perfect over time.

Kumusha is a Shona word that means your roots, your origins, or your home. It’s a brand I created during wine business school; after learning about the wine value chain, I knew I could start my own wine brand. I had experience in wine judging, I used to be a sommelier, plus I had business acumen. The name resulted from failing to conceptualise European fruits like gooseberries, plums and blackberries, which I’d never tasted, but when I was studying, I had to make associations to them.

When I tasted wine, it reminded me of being back at my grandfather’s farm eating wild fruits Mazhanje, Marororo, Matamba, and I would associate my wine with those indigenous flavours. I even created my own vocabulary. For instance, if I pick up Matamba (Southern African Wild fruit) in a wine, I’d know it was an old Chardonnay. When I created my own wine brand, I wanted to form the narrative that Africans can also associate wine flavours and aroma to wild fruits native to their countries. Since the wine was taking me back to Kumusha (home), I thought I should name it in my language.

The motivation was around creating a new culture of inclusivity and making wine more approachable.

Historically, wine has also been reserved for the bourgeoisie, classy people, but I wanted it to be accessible to ordinary people like me. I didn’t want people to feel intimidated when they couldn’t pick up strawberry flavours in their wine as I did. Wine is about food, culture, places, and people, which ignited something in me—as ethnic people, we sometimes don’t appreciate our roots and upbringing enough. My wine is also a cultural statement.

The wines are very well appreciated; we sell out every year; I started with 1200 bottles three years ago, and this year alone, we’ve sold over 200 000 bottles! I’m exporting from South Africa to more than 21 states in the US, The Netherlands, Kenya and Zimbabwe—home, which is amazing. It’s sold in South Africa, Ghana and soon to be exported to Nigeria and the UK.

Finding Southern African flavour notes in wine

I’m always chasing personal goals; I believe that once you reach all your goals, then you cease to exist. My personal milestones that I’ve reached involve being independent and building something tangible — I built Kumusha Wines from the ground to become a successful business, and in the 2-3 years, I will create employment and change lives. I am also excited to build more businesses. On a professional level as a wine Sommelier, I’ve worked in some of the best hotels/restaurants in South Africa; I won the young Sommelier award in South Africa and Best Wine Service award in the Eat Out Guide. These are just my personal and professional achievements; however, I am still ambitious; I want to sell 1 million wine bottles in Africa within the next five years, and go beyond horizons.

The wine industry has so much potential from wine production, making, distribution and communication, writing and digital marketing. It’s all about finding what you are good at and your passion. Always think global; the world is your oyster! I started an African wine brand in South Africa, and now it’s selling worldwide, so anything is possible.