SOUTH AFRICA, April 9 – Ntsiki Biyela, the Director of Aslina Wines, is a trailblazer. A woman of many accolades, she is the first female black winemaker in South Africa.
Biyela was also the winner of the Diversity and Transformation Award at the 2021 Wine Harvest Commemorative Event. She was listed as one of the world’s top 10 most innovative women in food and drink by Fortune’s Food & Wine in 2017, to name a few.
It’s not just Biyela who’s taking home awards; so are her wines. Aslina’s wines won the 2022 Veritas Wine Awards, the Sakura Japan Women’s Awards 2022, the Decanter World Wine Awards 2022, and more.
Walking into Aslina’s newly opened tasting room, you are immediately struck by three things: Biyela’s maternally loving energy, her passion for wine, and the aroma of traditional South African dishes to accompany wine tasting—a welcomed change from the typical cheese board.
Aslina is a brand that pays tribute to Biyela’s beloved late grandmother. She remembers her fondly as a strong woman who worked hard for her family.
Biyela grew up in Zululand and remembers not having much, but seared in her memory is her grandmother’s visit to her school, interrupting her Standard Ten Chemistry class and giving her 20 cents. She remembers feeling moved even though her grandmother felt a little hurt; she didn’t have more to give.
“I was excited, and she was hurt, and the gesture really moved me. I loved seeing her,” she recounts.
The love Biyela received from her grandmother is poured into everything she does.
Aslina Wines has six wines in their portfolio: a Methode Cap Classique (also known as MCC, South Africa’s sparkling wine), a Sauvignon Blanc, a red blend named Umsasane (The Acacia Tree), a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Chenin Blanc. These award-winning wines are paired with Bobotie, Chakalaka, and Pap, incredibly flavorful traditional South African dishes.
Ntsiziki notes that opening the tasting room is just the beginning for Aslina. Here, she hopes to be able to share her story, grow the business, and eventually open her own wine cellar. She continues to grow her business through bureaucratic setbacks, as she believes in doing the hard work and paving the way for the next generation of black South African winemakers.
When Biyela isn’t building her business or public speaking, you can find her at the Pinotage Development Academy teaching and training. A few of the graduates from these programs get the opportunity to work with her at Aslina.
When asked how she keeps her spirits high, she says she’s a spiritual woman and leans on her faith. She sees herself in the students at the Pinotage Development Academy, and it encourages her to keep going, keep growing, and keep encouraging change.
As for the future of the black winemaking industry in South Africa, Biyela seems hopeful. She appreciates that change is hard and believes that for the industry to change for black people, it’s going to need those who are at the forefront to be able to admit they’re not doing it for themselves; they’re doing it for those to come. She wants to leave the next generation in a better position than she was at their age.
Through all this work, Ntsiziki lives by the motto, “do everything from a place of love.” That love is certainly apparent in her passion, her wines, and her brand. On your next trip to South Africa, you should take a moment to experience it yourself.
