I’m going to be honest – part of the timing for the offer of this 100% carbon-neutral, profit-sharing, all-in-all responsible, and sustainable producer – is merely to assuage my guilt that stems from the lavish voluptuousness of the Holidays. The wrapping paper, the packaging, the decadent feasting – while all part of the exceptional celebrations of the season –  it’s nice to champion a producer intent on making that a more sustainable reality for all folks, and the foreseeable future. Puts a smile on my face. Plus, you know, this straight-up 100% cinsault grape from old bush vines in the heart of South Africa’s Swartland is utterly delicious and incredibly refreshing with every life-granting sip…so yeah, win-win!

I didn’t even get to the part where the wine is named after a dog!!! Lubanzi is a wild dog, and de-facto spirit guide, who tagged along on a six-day, 100-mile trek along South Africa’s remote Wild Coast, en route to the birthplace of Nelson Mandela. Founders Charlie Brain and Walker Brown set off to find themselves, and a locally-known wild dog, Lubanzi, joined them on day one and kept alongside them every step of the way, before disappearing on the last morning to undoubtedly guide another group on the path to salvation. 

The cinsault is grown old bush-vine style, completely dry-farmed on a soil bed of decomposed granite and shale. These 35-year-old vines produce light red-skinned grapes, packed with waves of red fruits. Everything from dusty strawberries to red raspberries, Bing cherries, and Ruby Red grapefruits – all accented with a crisp, cool vein of stony minerality. It’s straightforward and impeccably clean – just a perfect, cleansing sip that you can’t wait to repeat… again and again. With 50% of all the profits from this wine going to programs that improve the conditions and lives of South Africa’s farm workers, on top of Lubanzi’s 100% carbon neutral certification – this is a repeat sipper that will leave you stepping high all the way into 2025! (And beyond, we hope!) We got all we could, but at this price… expect it to be gone quickly!