South Africa’s Stellenbosch at M’Hudi Wines, First & Oldest Black-owned Wine Farm and Brand

Good people, thanks for being on the podcast’s diasporic journey through the country of South Africa.  This month we venture to the western Cape province of Stellenbosch, which is about 30 miles east of Cape Town proper, and is in the beautiful mountains and valleys of the country’s famous and premier winelands.

For those who partake in drinking wine, South Africa is known for having some of the most delicious wines and grape varieties.  Despite the diversity of wines and the predominance of vineyards in the South African winelands, the industry itself is not diverse. 

Black-owned wine brands account for less than 1 % of all South African wines.  By my count, there are at least 85 Black owned wine brands in all of South Africa—a growth of 20% since 2020. When it comes to owning the land to which farmers harvest and actually make the wine, less than 3 % of the country’s vineyard acreage is under Black ownership. This says a lot considering that Black South Africans make up more than 80 percent of the country’s population!

This disparity highlights the endemic legacy of apartheid and discrimination for Black and Coloured vintners. From getting business loans and raising capital to start a wine brand to sourcing farms to harvest and vintners to produce wine, there is still the issue of Black-owned brands “breaking” into the market, with enough volume to attract big retailers in an already saturated and predominantly white market. 

Still, progress is happening but at a snail’s pace.   I wanted to explore the winelands, with specific focus on Black-owned brands and vineyards.  One of the oldest and only Black-owned wine farms and wine brands in Stellenbosch is M’Hudi, which is owned by the Rangaka family since 2003.

From the Setswana word Mohudi, which means “harvester,” the name of the wine farm and brand is inspired by the great African story about a heroine, M’hudi, who fled her war torn home in search of a new beginning. Similar to the famous tale of M’hudi, the name for this Black-owned wine farm and brand symbolizes strength, courage, the relentless pursuit of one’s dreams against impossible odds – and the celebration of a hard-earned triumph.

For the month of May’s podcast episode #47 (available May 14 2024), I was fortunate to sit and speak with the Rangaka vintners, co-owner Baba Diale Rangaka and his daughter in-law and business manager Rae-leigh, to learn more about the history of M’Hudi, the Rangaka’s journey to procure a 43-hectare wine and fruit farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa and their participation into a lifestyle, culture and economic sector in which few Blacks have had the opportunity to partake in previously. 

Of course, doing so while sipping on their famous Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet and Pinotage varieties.  Needless to say, it was a lovely afternoon.

Take a listen and enjoy the episode, which premiers May 14, 2024.  And, let’s put our wallets where our mouths are and support Black-owned vintners globally by telling our favorite wine shops and restaurants about the Black-owned brands we’ve tried and loved. 

Peace and Prosperity! @ProfYndia & @JourneysB2B_Podcast