Meet award-winning young winemaker Vusi Dalicuba (Vergenoegd Löw)

Local winemaker and viticulturalist Vusi Dalicuba is quickly making a name for himself, just three years after joining the Vergenoegd Löw estate in 2021.

'To become the best winemaker in South Africa and even the world, that is the ambition of Mvuselelo (Vusi) Dalicuba' reads his bio on their website.

And just earlier this month, he added another feather to his cap when he won the VinLog Merlot Trophy at the prestigious 2024 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards.

The young vintner took the trophy for his 2022 Vergenoegd Löw Amalie Merlot.

He was overwhelmed, says Dalicuba, noting that the win was big not only for him, but also for the estate.

He explains what makes a good winemaker, and how the terroir of Vergenoegd (near Stellenbosch) makes it unique.

"It all starts with the grapes, you have to be working outside as well as inside. As a winemaker, you have to know your grapes and get to taste your grapes... decide when is the right time to pick them, and also make decisions about the vinification period in the cellar." 

"The farm is about three kms away from the sea and near the boundaries of the Eerste River... which has a big influence on the ripening of the grapes. The farm is also very flat with duplex soil... and we've planted according to the soil requirements, so we have vineyards planted in polygons where you have a block of shiraz, then you have a merlot, then you have a cab."

Mvuselelo (Vusi) Dalicuba, Winemaker 

The passionate young winemaker describes his craft as both a science and an art.

He ascribes his ascendancy as a young black professional in the field partly to great mentorship along the way.

"I always say to the young guys out there, you must always go beyond your thinking because there's this perception that this is field is for white people."

"The wine industry is very small, and the thing thing that helped me is building connections and always trying to volunteer - you just have to show up and say 'I'm here, and I can help you', say for instance on a Saturday."

Mvuselelo (Vusi) Dalicuba, Winemaker

What does the future hold?

Dalicuba says he sees himself growing with the estate he's with now, and growing with the vineyards themselves.

"I get to experiment because we're working with young wines... so I'm not only growing as a winemaker, but also I'm growing as a person."

Mvuselelo (Vusi) Dalicuba, Winemaker

To hear more from Vusi Dalicuba, listen to the interview audio at the top of the article