Joseph Dhafana:

Sommelier turned Winemaker

Joseph T Dhafana is Zimbabwean born based in Cape Town. A head sommelier at one of the best restaurant in the continent, a wine judge and owner and winemaker of Mosi Wines.

What was your first wine experience?

It was a no no. Got given a glass of bubbly on my 28th birthday in 2010. That was my very first time to taste wine ever.

When did you decide to pursue a career as a sommelier and why?

In 2013 after I had a short stint at Aubergine restaurant as a bar man in 2011. I worked with the then talented sommelier Howard Booysen and got inspired.

Tell us about Mosi Wines?

Mosi Wines is a boutique wine producer founded only by passion. I never studied oenology but i leant a lot from Chris Mullinex the owner of Mallineux and Leuu family wines and Eben Sadie the owner of The Sadie family Wines, both in Swartland wine region . Based on sourcing only healthy grapes from certain growers, I try to make wine which I can drink with minimum intervention but honest. I try to make wine the natural way. All that we produce but sadly the Chenin Blanc is sold out as La Colombe bought the entire production for its most celebrated Tuna dish. It was only 300 bottles and thank heavens we had a better 2018 season hopefully this will impact the harvest.

What’s the inspiration behind the name Mosi Wines?

Mosi is shortening Mosi oa tunya which is the smoke that thunders from the famous falls in Zimbabwe. This is only to reflect where the wine maker’s roots. The label also shows the falls.

Where are you currently exporting Mosi Wines to?

African wines in Holland and another good friend importer in Estonia.

Where can wine lovers find Mosi Wines in South Africa?

Wine concepts in Kloof Street and Wine concepts in Newlands all Cape Town. In Johannesburg please go grab a glass in Illovo at Le Wine Chembre, they sell both Syrah and Chenin by the glass.