What happens in Vegas usually stays in Vegas but what if that’s where a life-changing idea is pitched?
That’s how it all came together for Sazi Ngcobo and Siyabonga Maphalala, who now proudly call themselves the founding fathers of Amari Wines, a 100% black-owned wine brand.
Back in 2016, the two best friends were out at night letting their hair down when the idea came but because they had been drinking, Siyabonga did not take Sazi’s idea seriously.
The following day, Sazi doubled down on the idea until it was taken seriously. Before they knew it, they had two more people on board to help them bring Amari Wines to life.
“The idea actually came to me in 2016 when I was in France, and we were actually there on conference. One thing I learned from them was one, that it's such a family business. Everything is around heritage. Family name is being built over hundreds of years,” Sazi says.
Of all the winemakers they had emailed, only one got back to them with an opportunity to produce their MCC.
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For the following five years, the group of four, including Luyanda Maphalala and Xolani Mancotywa, funded the business themselves through the taste-testing stages and ensuring that the quality was ready to hit the shelves.
At the height of Covid-19 in 2021, their brand officially launched.
“We had an initial stock of about 1 000 bottles which we have planned to start in four months. After nine days, it was sold out. We realized that maybe we're onto something here. And from there we started restructuring the business built on an e-commerce site, we also started sourcing our own grapes,” Sazi tells Drum.
Lush is the first variant of Amari which officially hit Woolworths stores on Thursday, 12 October.
“Amari Lush embodies a balance of structure and a resounding elegance from Chardonnay, a hint of honey rounds off this Demi-sec. A name already synonymous with excellence in the MCC space, Amari Lush is set to grace the shelves of selected Woolworths stores across the nation today, providing an exciting opportunity for MCC lovers to discover and savor this premium option.”
"Our partnership with Woolworths is a testament to our dedication to sharing the joy of fine Lush Vintage Methode Cap Classique with discerning consumers," says the 36-year-old co-founder.
More than anything, the group prides itself on having given people an opportunity to embrace sparkling wine.
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“We have always been bubbles lovers and that's something that connected us, and we just thought there was an opportunity to one break misconceptions around MCC because people do think it's inferior to because we've always been comfortable drinking them.”
When Sazi was growing up in Welkom, both his parents never drank alcohol but not even that stop them from supporting his dream.
Now that his dream is on Woolworths shelves, he shares with Drum how it all came about.
“The opportunity came from a festival that happened in March this year at Inanda [country club] where they (Woolworths) had a stand, and we also had a stand. But what was amazing was that everyone was coming to us. They said no one was coming to theirs, they were always around the Amari stand and I think that was the day that the greater champagne market or bubbles market knew who we were.”
The group cannot wait to see how people now receive the MCC in the market.
