Masakhe 02_DIGITAL PAPERTURN - Flipbook - Page 28
The change had been fermenting
in the background for years, an
accidental passion discovered during
her time at UCT. While she was
methodically choosing property
studies as the most logical option, she
was also joining the university wine
society. “Most of the kids were just
there for the free pre-drinks,” she says,
half-laughing, “but some of us actually
enjoyed learning the process.”
She found she had a natural talent
for it, a creative flair that balanced
her systematic nature. Soon, she was
driving out to the Constantia wine
farms after lectures, sometimes by
herself, simply to explore. “I can talk
for hours on end about wine,” she
says, her voice lighting up. Unhappy in
the bank, she decided to hone in on it.
Wine was more than a hobby; it was
a serious pursuit for Chikumbu. She
recently earned her WSET (Wine &
Spirit Education Trust) Level 3 Award
in Wines with Merit, an achievement
she calls “probably my proudest to
date.” It’s a difficult course that covers
everything from viticulture to climate
to the full “grape to glass” process,
she says. When asked if her dream is
to run a farm, she quips with a laugh,
“That’s the easiest way to lose money.”
Her goal is more pragmatic: to import
and sell wine, making international
vintages accessible to a local South
African audience.
At first glance, her UCT property
degree might seem like a detour,
but Chikumbu sees it as a vital
part of her foundation. “Property
studies prepared me for real life,
for navigating through a physical
world,” she reflects. “When I choose
a place to live or visit, elements from
my studies come to the fore.” This
education has followed her across
the globe. Her Master’s team won
an award for a project on Urbanism,
creating cultural hubs in cities, and
even in Vietnam, she finds herself
with a more intuitive grasp of how
buildings are designed and used than
her colleagues.
Her journey has also been one
of navigating identity. As a Black
woman in the often traditional world
of wine, she admits that she has been
underestimated. The most common
experience, she says, is asking for
a specific Merlot at a bar, only to
have the waiter caution her, “It isn’t
sweet.” She recounts this not with
a chip on her shoulder, but with the
confidence of someone who trusts
her own palate. This sense of being
an outsider is familiar; it reflects
her broader experience of being
“between worlds”, drawn to Cape
Town for its wine culture, but also to
Johannesburg, where more people
who look like her are into wine.
Ultimately, the thread that ties
Hanoi to Cape Town is not certainty,
but conviction. Chido Chikumbu’s
story is a living example of her own
philosophy that “there is no correct
way,” only the path you are brave
enough to forge. Even her wry joke
about the program choosing Vietnam
“NOBODY IS COMING
TO SAVE YOU. YOU
HAVE TO MAKE BIG
LIFE CHANGES FOR
YOURSELF.”
ISSUE 2
DECEMBER 2 025
26
