The debut TOPS Gugulethu Wine Festival was the shining star in Cape Town over the 27th and 28th May weekend. It is being hailed as a major success by the 2050 visitors, 37 exhibitors and over 120 media that attended over the two evenings on the rooftop of the Gugulethu Square Mall.

The festival was officially opened by Cape Town Premier Helen Zille, who commented that you can no longer say Cape Town is not a wonderfully integrated city as one looked over the sea of people that packed the wine tasting marquee on Friday. She thanked co-founders Mzoli Ngcawuzele and Lungile Mbalo for their vision in bringing people together in wine and spent an hour walking, talking and taking questions.

Mzoli Ngcawuzele, co-founder and owner of Mzoli’s Place, says “Thank you to TOPS at Spar and all the sponsors, media and residents that attended to make this festival the huge success it was. Thank you to our Premier Helen Zille for her unwavering commitment, support and vision for the growth of her Gugulethu township. It will be bigger and better next year and I just can’t wait! Think fun, think Gugulethu Wine Festival.” Marilyn Cooper, Managing Director of Cape Wine Academy, Cape Wine Master and organiser of the wineries to the festival says, “This is the start of a new dawn for wineries and Cape Town’s new consumers.