During a six-day hike in the Wild Coast, American exchange students Charlie Brain and Walker Brown were followed by a strappy canine companion. Their furry friend stuck by their side throughout the hike and inspired a popular brand.
“Walker and I first met [in 2014] in South Africa as exchange students and our time there left a big impression on our hearts,” Charlie recalls. The two friends became so enamoured with the country and what they felt it had to offer the world that they pledged to return and play a constructive role in the country’s future. “We had a personal history in the wine industry back home in America, and it quickly became the focus for us. We wanted to build a forward-thinking, socially conscious, and environmentally responsible business and wine was really the perfect opportunity for us to do that in South Africa.”
Underdogs
Charlie and Walker were both young, ambitious and clear about what they wanted their company to represent. They were adamant that people would be every bit as important as their product.
Their story felt like an adventure from the beginning. “When it came time to naming the winery, we decided to name it after this dog, Lubanzi, who was symbolic of our experience and where we were coming from. Lubanzi was a wandering stray dog that followed the two of us on a six-day, 160 km backpacking trip along South Africa’s Wild Coast, back when we were students, and that spirit is really in-step with who we are: true underdogs.”
At first the pair considered making wine from every region of South Africa, but the Swartland proved to be the perfect home for their vision. With a little luck and lots of hard work, they were able to find the perfect partners who embodied the personal values and style of winemaking they were looking for.
Well-respected wine educator and business owner Bruce Jack came on board as a mentor. (Bruce has moved on to his own projects and is no longer involved, but they remain good friends, Charlie says.) They also teamed up with one of the top female winemakers in South Africa. “We looked everywhere when we began,” he says. “We met with almost a hundred different wineries and winemakers at the onset. We felt fortunate when we found Trizanne Barnard.”
Local flavour
Their wines are made with minimal intervention, using natural fermentation and no gimmicks, says Charlie. “The philosophy behind our wine is all about making real wine from a real place with real intention. We want to make wine that is approachable and accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds but at the same time honest, truly delicious and well-crafted.”
The company sources grapes from all over the Swartland and Coastal Region. “All of the relationships we create with the farmers and owners and meaningful and usually end up in friendships,” says Lara Färbinger, their US Sales Manager. “We look for high quality and often-times organic parcels. It’s very much a hands-on process.”
Over the years, Charlie and Walker have become a lot more involved in the winemaking process and despite being relative outsiders early on, they’re now closely involved in almost every step.
It’s no wonder Lubanzi has since made its mark internationally as a socially conscious producer of high-quality wines from South Africa. It’s also allowed them to be forward-thinking and innovative, becoming one of the first producers to make canned wine in South Africa.
“Our market in the USA does incredibly well with the cans, and while here in South Africa things are still warming up, our cans have been well received,” Lara says. “The cans are for the adventurer, surfer, environmental warriors, and consciously sound wine drinkers!”
Proud products of Lubanzi Wines.
All that jazz
The latest addition to their portfolio, ‘Orange Is’, is a skin-contact blend of 86% Chenin Blanc and 14% Viognier from five different parcels across the Swartland: Orangerie, Hillside, Kasteelsig, Paarderberg and Waterval. The wine was crafted alongside innovative young Swartland winemaker Jurgen Gouws of Intellego Wines.
“Paying homage to the incredible art and music scene here in South Africa (specifically Cape Town and Johannesburg) has always been important to us, not only as individuals but as a brand,” Lara explains. “Collaboration is at the heart of our brand, and exposing people from South Africa and all over the world to local artists here is another way of connecting humans.”
The new bottle features cover art from the acclaimed South African jazz album Indaba Is, designed by Johannesburg-based artist Rendani Nemakhavhani, aka PR$DNT HONEY.
Lubanzi Wines ‘Orange Is’
“Released in 2021 by London-based indie label Brownswood Recording, Indaba Is is an eclectic showcase of contemporary South African Jazz. Curated by pianist and songwriter Thandi Ntuli and The Brother Moves On’s Siyabonga Mthembu, Indaba Is is an album etched with the energies of 52 musicians that together capture the breadth, diversity and history of South African jazz.”
“We’re stoked to be launching this wine that celebrates the diverse and unique terroir of the Swartland, while at the same time spotlighting an element of South Africa and South African music that deserves more attention and praise,” says Charlie.
The wine and label share the idea that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts and builds on Lubanzi’s goal of building a more sustainable and equitable supply chain. Half of the company’s net profits go to the Pebbles Project, a non-profit that supports local farming communities.
‘Orange Is’ will initially be available to purchase only in South Africa & the United States. For more information on where to find the wine and to learn more about the wine & album, please visit www.lubanziwines.com or contact Lubanzi at hello@lubanziwines.com.
