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Wild with Purpose at We Are Africa

  • Apr 21
  • 7 min read

Updated: May 7

We are curating wine experiences for We Are Africa this week, showcasing the Wild with Purpose theme of the show, and underscoring our new Art of Storytelling Course, on the Beverageintelligence University, available to hospitality staff across the African continent.


This afternoon we are highlighting wines from Iona and Radford Dale, and the incredible purpose behind their wines.


Day 4 - Thursday 7th May


Radford Dale

Radford Dale’s core purpose is driven by generational sustainability and a commitment to crafting wines that authentically express the extraordinary terroir of the Cape through minimal intervention. Operating a certified organic wine estate in Elgin, their environmental stewardship is highly innovative and focused on building a resilient ecosystem. Beyond the environment, their purpose is deeply tied to social upliftment and creating opportunities for their community, most notably through the Land of Hope Educational Trust. Funded entirely by the profits of their dedicated wine range, this trust fully covers the cost of high-quality, private education—from crèche through university—for the children and dependents of their previously disadvantaged employees. They also fiercely support the broader hospitality community; during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Alex Dale and his team launched the Restaurant Rescue Project, donating wine to help raise over R5 million to keep local restaurants open and protect hundreds of jobs. Wines to taste this evening:


Radford Dale Vinum Gamay Noir 

Radford Dale Vinum Pinotage

Radford Dale Vinum Chenin Blanc


Iona

Iona Winery is guided by the profound belief that its proprietors, Andrew and Rozy Gunn, are merely short-term custodians of the land, and their core purpose is to leave the environment in a better state than they found it. Their winemaking philosophy is centered on producing elegant, minimal-intervention wines that authentically reflect the cool climate and unique terroir of the Elgin Valley. Iona farms according to strict organic and biodynamic principles, prioritizing a hands-off approach that encourages the natural health and biodiversity of the soil. Today you will be tasting a South African icon:


Iona Highlands Sauvignon Blanc



Day 3 - Wednesday 6th May


Hamilton Russell

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Hamilton Russell Vineyards, one of the most southerly wine estates in Africa, focuses exclusively on producing highly individual, terroir-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their core purpose is to express the unique personality of their stony, iron, and clay-rich soils, aiming for wines defined by structure, spice, purity, and balance rather than fruit-forwardness. Sustainability is deeply ingrained in their winemaking philosophy. They are a recognized WWF Conservation Champion, acknowledging their leadership and deep commitment to conservation and sustainable farming. Their vineyards have been fully organic since 2015, and they employ regenerative farming and biodynamic treatments to enhance soil life, water retention, and natural disease resistance. In the cellar, they practice non-intrusive winemaking, such as relying entirely on organic endemic or indigenous yeasts for fermentation. Wines to taste this evening:


Hamilton Russell Estate Pinot Noir


Glenelly

Purchased in 2003 by May de Lencquesaing, who brought her family's 250-year Bordeaux winemaking legacy to South Africa, Glenelly operates with a profound sustainable ethos. Perfectly aligned with a "Wild with Purpose" theme, the estate actively conserves its natural landscape by ensuring that parts of its 120-hectare property remain completely wild and biodiverse. They prioritize environmental stewardship through organic and regenerative farming practices, utilizing cover crops and organic sprays to minimize their dependence on chemical herbicides and pesticides. Furthermore, Glenelly's purpose extends to the well-being of their community; they operate the Glenelly Care Centre, which provides after-school care for their employees' children, ensuring they give back to the people who help cultivate their land. Wines to taste this evening:


Glenelly Estate Red


Almenkerk

Almenkerk Wine Estate 

Almenkerk Wine Estate’s core philosophy is profound yet simple: to create the highest quality wines while deeply respecting the land that nurtures them. The family is dedicated to regenerative agriculture and actively protects 15 hectares of high-conservation-value land, working to restore alien-infested areas back to pristine, indigenous fynbos and Renosterveld vegetation. Their ultimate goal is to maintain a harmonious 50/50 balance between wild fynbos and their vineyards. In the vineyards themselves, they prioritise soil health by planting cover crops, introducing microbial life, and utilising biological pest controls, which allows them to farm without any chemical herbicides, pesticides, or inorganic fertilisers. Beyond their environmental stewardship, Almenkerk's purpose is also rooted in social sustainability, focusing on fostering healthy employee relationships and continuously creating new employment opportunities for their community. Wines to taste this evening:


Almenkerk Chardonnay

Almenkerk Lace Sauvignon Blanc

Almenkerk Lace Rouge (red blend)


Day 1 - Monday 4th May


Cederberg

Cederberg winery is one of the wildest wineries on planet earth, situated deep in the Cederberg Wilderness area. Their vineyards are high up in the mountains, surrounded by pristine biodiversity, including the Cape Mountain leopard. The Niewoudt family are the custodians of this property, and have invested significantly in conservation efforts, whilst producing some of South Africa's best (and wildest) wines. Wines to taste this evening:


Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc

Cederberg Merlot Shiraz red blend


Bosman

At the heart of Bosman Family Vineyards is a profound commitment to their community and the environment, perfectly captured by their vision: "A better life for all". With a rich cultural heritage that spans eight generations, Bosman champions sustainable and ethical farming practices as a Fairtrade accredited producer. They have gone one step further with their staff also becoming shareholders in the winery. Wines to taste this evening:


Bosman Hemel en Aarde Pinot Noir 

Bosman Generation 8 Cabernet Sauvignon


HER Wines


Praisy Dlamini has walked an incredible path, from her unlikely wine roots in the sugar cane filled hills of Kwazulu Natal, to co-founding HER wines. Each member of her team spent years working in the industry, and they saw a gap in the market for an all-female, all-black business that could combine their skillsets into something truly unique. A wine brand women could be truly proud of. Today, HER Wine Collection is about more than what's in the bottle: it's about who gets to lead, create and be seen. Wines to taste this evening:


Her Wines Chenin Blanc


Art of Storytelling course preview


A new course from Beverageintelligence University to help your teams transform from order takers to memory makers. Click here to pre-register your interest.


Art of Storytelling course Trailer


Picture this. A guest settles into their chair after a long day on Safari. The sun has set, and dinner is about to be served. The campfire flickers warmly. Your waiter approaches with a bottle of wine and says: "May I interest you in a Pinot Noir from Elgin?"


Accurate? Yes. Memorable? Not quite!


Now imagine the same moment, but this time the waiter warmly says: ""This wine comes from a family who have dedicated half of their farm to conservation, including the endangered Cape Leopard. Their farm is high up in the Elgin valley, a cooler climate, leading to perfect Pinot Noir. Could I interest you in a glass around the fire?"


Same wine. Completely different experience. That is the power of storytelling, and it is the reason we have built our newest course in the Beverageintelligence University: The Art of Storytelling.


Here is something our CEO Allister Kreft learned early in his career. He had spent years building his winemaking knowledge, working alongside his father at Belfield, studying fermentation, terroir, and viticulture. And then somebody told him something that changed everything: nobody cares about your wine knowledge. They care about the stories behind the wine.


It sounds blunt, but it is profoundly true. Guests do not come to a lodge in the Masai Mara, or a boutique hotel on the Seychelles, to hear about malolactic fermentation, or the flavour of the wine. They come for the experience. They come to be transported. And the most powerful vehicle for that transportation is a well-told story.


Introducing the TPPP Model: Your Storytelling Framework


At the heart of the course is a practical framework we call the TPPP Model: Theme, People, Place, Product. This is the structure your team will use to craft and practise compelling stories for every wine on your list.

The key insight? We flip the traditional approach. Instead of starting with the product and rattling off tasting notes, we start with the story and finish with the wine. By the time the Guest takes their first sip, they already have an emotional connection to what is in their glass. This course builds on the strong foundations laid in Wine, Bar and Service 101, and the Winery Masterclasses, and joins the Wine Advisor Course in Level 3 of the Beverageintelligence University.


What Makes a Great Storyteller?


It is no surprise that some of the best winemakers are also remarkable storytellers. The course unpacks the skills that separate a good storyteller from a great one.


  • Read your Guests and listen. Be interested rather than interesting. Our job is to observe first. Is the businessman at table four deep in a contract negotiation? Perhaps this is not the moment. Are the young couple on holiday eagerly asking for suggestions? Now is your time to shine.

  • Timing. A great story told at the wrong moment falls flat. The course teaches your team to read the room and find the perfect window.

  • Communication. Tone of voice, body language, eye contact – these are the tools that bring a story to life. The course also teaches the power of analogy: comparing an old vine to an old person, full of character and wisdom, is far more engaging than bombarding Guests with technical facts.

  • And above all: Proper Practice Prevents Poor Performance. The 5 Ps. Preparation is everything, and the course includes practical exercises and our Fundi powered Game of Wine to help your team build their storytelling muscles.


Ready to Transform Your Team?


The Art of Storytelling is launching in Term 2 of 2026 in the Beverageintelligence University from 1 July. If your property is already part of the Under the Influence family, speak to your Education Coach about enrolling your team. If you are not yet working with us but want to bring this level of training and development to your operation, we would love to hear from you.

 

Click here to pre-register for the next Term.

Click here to learn more about our Learning Journey.


Go Deeper: Supporting Content


We are passionate about this subject and have built a collection of supporting content to help you and your teams explore the art of storytelling further.



Snippet from the Art of Storytelling course | The Art of Listening to your Guests


Because every glass has a story. Your team just needs to learn how to tell it.


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