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Lovers of South African wine get another day out
Yogi Birigwa, the country manager South African Airways. Photo by Rachel Mabala
Way before anyone who has figured out the pronunciation of connoisseur without sounding like they are sneezing rushed to have a wine tasting festival, there was only one such event. It was towards the end of the year, invite-only and the tasting was only of South African wines. It was the South African wine festival.
“It was a concept that came from observing that the bulk of the wine consumed in Uganda is from South Africa,” said Yogi Birigwa, the South African Airways Country Manager. The South African wine festival was also her brainchild. She recalls that the first time she floated the concept, it sounded almost too big to be done, but with the help of sponsors at the time Stanbic (this year’s main sponsors) the idea was actualised.
“We are very proud to be the pioneers of wine tasting in Uganda,”
Five years later it is still going strong with this year’s event slated to bring even more wine makers, and wine brands. The fifth South African Wine festival will take place at the Serena Hotel on 24th of this month which is next Friday.
Birigwa said 22 South African wineries are expected along with brown cheese company and Star Café. Yogi termed this year’s wineries as makers of high end wines.
“The coffee and cheese are there because they are part of the wine lifestyle,” she said.
The annual wine festival begun with but three exhibitors in the premier event in 2010 and numbers of those who come to show their different wines has grown steadily since then. Last year saw 15 wineries sample invited guests.
It is still an invite only event and those on the guest list should by now have received their invite. Birigwa says those invited are a mix of CEOs, distributors, embassy staff and hotel owners as well as representatives from the sponsoring companies which are Stanbic, Serena, Sun International and Wines of South Africa.
On the Microphones will be Mich Egwang as emcee and instrumentalist Myko Ouma as the entertainer.
If you go
The Event. The annual South African Wine Festival and tasting.
When. Friday, October 24, 2014
Where. Kampala Serena Hotel
Entrance. Invite only.
