Vinum Africa should be a surprise; it should be gratifying and it should be worthy of repeating. If the team has managed to combine that for you, both visually and in the glass, then you'll have embraced their simple vision.

The vineyards are composed of selected prime parcels of land in the Stellenbosch region – several along the Helderberg Mountain and several in Devon Valley . These sites offer excellent soils, northerly exposures and healthy, mature vines, all of which combine with the cool ocean breezes to bestow on these vineyards spectacularly ideal environments.

Edouard Labeye heads their non-interventionist, micro-winemaking-team. Based in the Rhone Valley in France , Edouard works with many of the top emerging estates from the appellations of the Languedoc and the Rhone Valley . Twenty years of incessant, hands-on toil have filled him with knowledge and skills that combine effortlessly with his natural good humor and flair.

The packaging design brings together a stark, ethnic-like symbol on a tranquil background, and contains the product of much acquired wisdom and honor. It is wholly atypical of traditional Cape wine packaging design, and it sets Vinum Africa apart as much visually as they aim to be philosophically. The name is derived from the Latin word meaning wine; Vinum Africa is stating the obvious, stripped back to its basic values. And if you use your mind's eye, you might just be able to discern that the symbol actually spells out the word Vinum.

Choose a wine to the right.