Bronzeville Winery Showcases South Africa's First Black Female Winemaker
Bronzeville Winery Showcases South Africa's First Black Female Winemaker
Ntisiki Biyela is a legend in the making, and this South Side Chicago restaurant honored her with a multicourse dinner paired with her Aslina Wines. Also: Upcoming events to keep you in the loop.
When “Young, Famous & African” debuted on Netflix in 2022, I had envisioned a global introduction to the likes of fashion designers, music artists, actresses, professional athletes, chefs/restaurateurs and other trendsetters across the continent. And while the show spotlighted who’s probably the best-dressed man on the planet in fashion stylist Swanky Jerry, there have been so many missed opportunities when the crew has traveled to South Africa.
It would have been absolutely brilliant for YF&A to give Ntisiki Biyela some airtime—even if it was for only a few minutes during one of the many dinner parties aired during the series. The first Black female winemaker in South Africa, Biyela is a legend in the making. Plus, her Aslina Wines are so spectacular that she’s won awards for them every year since they launched. They range from a lush Cabernet Sauvignon to an elegant, slightly woody Chardonnay to a Chenin Blanc boasting notes of honeybush tea.
When I had the pleasure of meeting Biyela, she was on her way to Aspen Food & Wine Classic where she was being recognized as one of the 2023 "Food & Wine" Drinks Innovators of the Year. Before heading to Aspen, she was making stops in New York and Chicago to promote her products.
Biyela’s Windy City trip lasted for several days and included a multicourse dinner at South Side sensation Bronzeville Winery. There, five of her wines were paired with dishes whipped up by chefs Lamar Moore and Dondee Robinson. Participating in this dinner at a Black-owned restaurant was very special, Biyela says.
“It’s like home away from home,” she continues. “It gives me hope that we are getting to our own selves. We are realizing who we are and our capabilities.”
The winemaking journey hasn’t always been easy for Biyela, who launched Aslina, named after her late grandmother, in 2016. She uses the fond memories of her grandmother’s strength as motivation and inspiration whenever she faces adversity.
For example, she recalls, when she first started in the industry, farmers looked at her like she didn’t know what she was doing. Also, they would try to give her inferior ingredients because they figured she wouldn’t know the difference—and try to sell them at premium prices. She, of course, never allowed anyone to see her sweat.
“Don’t waste your energy [on negativity],” Biyela advises. “You know what you know, so you don’t have to try to convince anyone else.”
Naysayers eventually found out just how great a winemaker Biyela is when she started winning awards, beginning in 2006. Among top accolades, she was voted South Africa’s “Woman Winemaker of the Year” in 2009; she was the finalist for two consecutive years for “The Most Influential Women in Business and Government” in South Africa; and in 2017, she was listed as one of Fortune’s “World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink.”
While Biyela’s achievements may be new to many, they are not for Derrick Westbrook, Bronzeville Winery’s extraordinary wine director. He was responsible for adding her wines to the menu when the restaurant opened in 2022.
“I’ve worked with these wines for a long period of time,” Westbrook says. “I remember working with Aslina since pre-pandemic. When you talk about the Black-owned wine category, she’s one of my favorites, hands down, easily.
“We’ve previously had lunch together, so being able to talk to her about her perspective, plus with the pedigree she’s earned, studying and wine making, the training that she has is not only impressive, but you can taste it in the production of her wines. It’s great to finally be able to showcase her wines.”
Westbrook is known for pairing wines with music, and he says he would pair each of her wines with Afrobeat.
“There’s a certain rhythm in which [Aslina] wines progress,” Westbrook explains. “We did a tasting with the wines, and being able to swap the order of a lot of her white wines in the progression still has its beauty and weight and texture. I liken that to Afrobeat. That genre of music with her wines and the way that the progression works with her wines is absolutely fantastic.”
Biyela has her own favorite way of pairing her wines: with dishes from her native country. For example, she’ll eat pap (a traditional porridge/polenta and a staple food of the African peoples of Southern Africa) with tomato stew with onions and peppers and a hint of spice and pair it with her Cab.
“The spice of the food brings out the fruit in the wine,” she describes.
Also, she grew up loving the way her grandmother made chicken dumplings cooked in masala sauce. She’d pair that homey, yet rich dish with the Chardonnay or Cab.
“I love the flexibility of my wines,” Biyela says. “It’s always like love in a glass.”
5 great events this week and beyond
What: The Chicago-based Boka Restaurant Group has the Midas touch, and they’ve won quite a few awards for what they do best. Key players Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz also have a few side projects, such as Boehm’s luxe wellness club and The Pearl Club from Katz. The latter is an ideal after-dinner hang with svelte sippers like Jaylee’s Pimm’s Cup (Pimm’s, Koval Barrel-Aged Gin, Cappelletti Pasubio Vino Amaro, dragon fruit, lemon) and Midnight Vicente (Maestro Dobel Tequila, Cristalino Tequila, Dimmi, St. Germain, agave, lime). The bar feels current and retro simultaneously, with a mezzanine lounge overlooking the scene.
Where: 495 N. Milwaukee Ave., 312-602-0304, Chicago
When: 4:30-midnight Tuesday through Sunday
Admission: Free.
What: Foodieland Night Market, a three-day outdoor multicultural food festival in the Bay Area, features more than 170+ vendors. It’s inspired by the open-air, nighttime markets you’ll find in Asia, plus there’s live music, a rotating list of food vendors, cocktail lounge and games. It’s family friendly, so it’s good for the kids or the crew.
Where: San Mateo County Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo, California
When: 3-10pm June 30-July 2
Admission: $5-$7. Get tickets here.
What: Another open-air food market, Smorgasburg occurs in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Miami and Los Angeles. There’s also one in Toronto, a waterfront edition featuring more than 50 vendors showcasing local and international fare. Sounds like a great excuse to visit our neighbors up north. Here’s the entire list of vendors.
Where: 7 Queens Quay East, at the foot of Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada
When: 11am-6pm every Saturday through Sept. 9
Admission: Free
What: Local and national food stars will take center stage at USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience as it tours throughout the country. The stop in Nashville is the one that caught my eye, of course, because the Music City is quickly transforming into a great food town. In addition to food and wine from local spots like Black Rabbit, 1 Kitchen, Gully Boyz and Margot Cafe & Bar, guests will sample cocktails, listen to live music and experience live cooking demos.
Where: East Park, 700 Woodland Street, Nashville
When: 1-4pm August 26
Admission: $60-$95. Get tickets here.
What: Here’s another event from Nashville that I could not resist. A Tennessee Wine-Tasting Excursion Train experience happens on a restored classic streamlined stainless steel passenger train. There’s a stop in Watertown, where passengers will get to check out the town’s restaurants, shops and boutiques. Wine, beer, cocktails and light snacks will be sold on the train (I am shocked this isn’t included in the price).
Where: Departs from TC RY Museum, 220 Willow Street, Nashville
When: 9am-5:30pm August 5; train departs at 10am sharp
Admission: $80-$150. Get tickets here.
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Great article! What a fantastic event!