Zulu Girl Wines

Zulu Girl Wines was born not in a vineyard but in a friendship. Sandy maGumede and Pam Biyela had been friends for twenty years, bonded by a shared love of good food, fine wine, and the richness of their Zulu heritage. Gumede hails from Dube village and Biyela from nearby KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal -- both women from humble beginnings who built successful lives in Pretoria. When the Covid pandemic made access to their favourite wines scarce, they looked at each other and decided to make their own.

What emerged is a brand that goes far beyond the bottle. Zulu Girl Wines is a South African female black-owned wine company that celebrates the vibrant spirit of African heritage in every aspect of its identity. The labels blend vivid colours and African-inspired design. The wines carry names and stories rooted in Zulu culture. And the mission extends to empowering young women and investing in the communities that shaped the founders.

The wine range is deliberately focused: three expressions, each crafted to be accessible yet distinctive. The flagship Merlot offers rich dark red fruit aromas of plums and cherries, with enough structure to age up to eight years -- a serious wine wrapped in an approachable package. The Sauvignon Blanc, with its crisp tropical fruit notes, has become the bestseller and is described by the founders as 'summer in a glass.' The Pink Lady Rose completes the trio with a vibrant, fruit-forward style designed for social occasions.

Gumede and Biyela have taken Zulu Girl Wines to market with entrepreneurial energy, appearing at trade shows like WineX and building a direct-to-consumer business through their website and social media presence. The brand has attracted attention from WOSA (Wines of South Africa) and the broader industry as part of the growing movement of black-owned wine businesses transforming the face of South African wine.

Zulu Girl Wines proves that the South African wine story is bigger than any single region or tradition. It is a brand built on resilience, innovation, and the conviction that wine is a vehicle for cultural celebration and economic empowerment -- one glass at a time.