A new empowerment-driven wine company, Inzuzo, has officially launched at Cape Wine, with a mission to transform lives in Sir Lowry’s Pass village through wine, art and education.
Inzuzo – which means ‘benefit’ or ‘profit’ in Zulu – is 51% owned by vineyard workers from Journey’s End and led by rising star winemaker Kaylin Willscott. The initiative aims to provide long-term, sustainable change for the local community by reinvesting profits directly back into social development projects.
Speaking at the launch, organisers emphasised that Inzuzo is more than just a wine label. “The whole mission of Inzuzo is to uplift the community of Sir Lowry’s Pass village through winemaking and art,” Cape Wine CEO Siobhan Thompson said.
“Proceeds will go towards targeted projects designed to improve the quality of life for people in the village, from education initiatives to mentorship programmes and, ultimately, building a school.”
The art featured on Inzuzo’s labels is a product of local creativity, created by young artists from the village as part of a project that aims to use art to engage and inspire youth, keep children in school and give them a pathway to develop skills.
Willscott, who is a Cape Wine Guild graduate and one of the few women of colour winemakers in South Africa, said she felt privileged to lead the project so early in her career.
“This is something I could have only dreamed about as an established winemaker, but I’ve been lucky enough to meet the right people at the right time. What makes it even more special is that I get to give back and use the skills I have to create change,” she said.
Willscott’s own journey reflects the project’s purpose: after graduating from Stellenbosch University in 2020, she completed the Cape Winemakers Guild’s three-year internship programme, working with top producers such as Spier, Warwick and Keermont, before joining Journey’s End as assistant winemaker. She also completed an international harvest in Burgundy, bringing global experience to her work in South Africa.
The Inzuzo range has three tiers: ‘Transformative’, positioned for the off-trade; ‘Creative’, aimed at the on-trade; and a premium ‘Signature’ tier featuring minimalist labels and small-batch wines. Alcohol levels are deliberately moderate, sitting between 12-13% abv, and are aimed at accessible, everyday drinking occasions.
Inzuzo soft-launched in the UK earlier this year, with a listing with a supermarket currently in the works. A Dubai launch is due to follow in October.
A key goal for 2025 is to fund and build a school in Sir Lowry’s Pass village, offering not only traditional education but also hospitality training and home-based care training, which provide practical tools for young people to find employment.
“This is for children who have fallen through the cracks,” Thompson said. “It gives them a second chance and builds the blocks for success and opportunity going forward.”
She continued: “This is the ultimate showcase to the world of South African wine – not just the product in the bottle, but the impact it can have on people’s lives.”
