Today, exactly one year ago, we officially set off on the crazy beautiful journey that is Joburg Wine Club.
As with any adventure, we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into. All we knew was that we wanted to break the boundaries of wine culture in South Africa and we wanted to delve into the magic that was Joburg and her people. We wanted to create a vibrant community who shares a common appreciation of good South African wines and an exuberant joy of life.
What better place to plant the seed than in the lively City of Gold.
Now, 365 days later, our hearts are bursting with gratitude for the way it’s all unfolded and all the exquisite people we’ve met along the way.
Of course, none of this would have been able to happen without our amazing wine partners who have been so game to participate and add value:
Avontuur Estate
Lozärn Wines
There are no words, but these: THANK YOU!
If it weren’t for every one of you, Joburg Wine Club would be but a beautiful dream.
So, in celebration of our first birthday, join us for a little trip down memory lane as we reminisce about our highlights of the year:
Where it all started – our launch party
There is not much to love about Mondays, but for those who braved the rain storm and gridlocked traffic to attend the launch of the Joburg Wine Club on 27 November 2017, were rewarded with a party of note.
We held our very first event at ONCE in Joburg and had 20 premium wine brands serving up unlimited tastings, while the DJ kept the good vibes flowing.
Check out our blog post about the launch party as well as our Facebook album of the event.
A stylish garden party
There’s something sultry about summer in Joburg – mornings of sunshine often followed by moody late afternoon thunderstorms. An appropriately eclectic weather pattern for a city so beautifully diverse.
On Sunday, 11 February 2018, we got to enjoy the former – a perfectly sunny late morning/early afternoon Summer Garden Party at the magical Buitengeluk in Broadacres.
Our brunch celebration was the first official Joburg Wine Club event following our launch in November 2017 and we were proud to have six of our fabulous wine partners showing off their sexiest summer wines.
Boschendal, Diemersfontein, Groot Constantia, La Motte, Nitida and Plaisir de Merle took out all the stops, tantalising the taste buds of our stylish Joburg crowd.
Read more about the garden party and check out our lovely video from the day.
Easter Feast with Le Wine Chambre
On Tuesday evening 20 March, we hosted our third Joburg Wine Club event with our friends over at at Le Wine Chambre. Everyone showed up dressed to the nines to enjoy a selection of tapas and superb wine and were just blown away – once again - by how stylish this city is!
During the evening, all our guests were treated to a first tasting of Gorgeous Sparkling, after which Diemersfontein and Lozärn kept the festivities going with a beautiful selection of wines.
Go have a look at our Easter Feast blog post and Facebook photo album.
Painting the town Royal Red
In the very midst of winter, we decided to keep things extra warm by throwing a Royal Red party at Katy’s Palace Bar in trendy Kramerville. We were overwhelmed by the amazing turnout and the lovely feedback from guests.
Here’s what a few of them had to say:
“The Joburg Wine Club is my family and every event has been truly special, leaving me with nothing but beautiful memories. This time’s Royal Red theme was an exquisite way for wine and fashion to meet. I thoroughly enjoyed being dressed in Royal Red while enjoying some fine Royal Red Wine.”
I love the Joburg Wine Club’s work celebrating wine culture in Joburg. It’s especially been great seeing young black people looking good and indulging in the goodness of the fermented grapes.”
“The Joburg Wine Club was a magical experience. A meeting of creative minds and a beautiful tapestry of people from all walks of life, with a common love and appreciation for good wine and company. I honestly didn’t want to leave. I cannot wait for the next one, the Joburg Wine Club is stuck with me for life!”
You can read more in our blog post about the evening and check out our photo album on Facebook.
Winter Winelands Trip
With wine tourism being a key component of our mission here at Joburg Wine Club, we decided to mix things up a bit and take some Golden City glamour to the Cape Winelands for a whirlwind winter break.
Supported by WESGRO, we invited six of our favourite influencers and storytellers to join us for a jam-packed three-day itinerary. There were:
From our base at Lanzerac Hotel & Spa in Stellenbosch, we set off to all corners of the winelands – Delaire Graff for dinner, the Durbanville Wine Valley, Wellington and even the Hemel & Aarde Valley – in the safe hands of our transport partner, Adventure Shop Stellenbosch.
We ended this once-in-a-lifetime experience off with a glamorous cocktail party at Lanzerac Hotel, where we were joined by our Western Cape-based media, influencers and friends.
Take a look at our Facebook album of the party.
Living it up in Soweto
On Friday 31 August, we hit Eyethu Lifestyle Centre in Soweto for an evening of unlimited premium wine tasting, delicious flame-grilled platters, a harvest table loaded with cheese, fruit and crackers, as well as a warm buffet-style Shisa Nyama.
Between sipping and snacking away, we were also treated to some seriously foot-tapping beats by the oh-so fabulous DJ ROXCizzle.
It was an evening of good laughs and colourful conversations – certainly one for the books.
Check out our blog post about our Soweto event and also our Facebook album.
Getting Creative in Gandhi Square
For our second-last event of the year, we decided to get creative and opt for a subterranean soiree at Zwipi Underground Bar.
This time round, we joined forces with JoburgPlaces to bring our wine partners and special guests into the very heart of the old city.
What made it even more exciting is the fact that we had Checkers on board with the #OddBinsArtistCollab exhibition with artworks from four young talented South African artists, Karabo Poppy, Musonda Kabwe, Lauren Fowler and Rose Chaston.
Of course, there was also delicious food a-plenty with a harvest table laid out and DJ Bilal kept the vibe going strong throughout the evening with his dope beats.
Read all about it in our blog post and check out the album on Facebook.
While we might be biased, we can’t help but feel like our events just keep getting better. We still have one coming up this year and would love to see you there! And, of course, we have a load of exciting things happening in 2019!
