Ntsiki Biyela
BY: MTHIMKHULU
IN THE LANGUAGE OF FINE ART, PATIENCE IS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR SILENCE. YET IN AGRICULTURE, PATIENCE IS THE MEDIUM ITSELF. THE SLOW TENDING OF SOIL, THE OBSERVATION OF SEASONS, AND THE FAITH PLACED IN UNSEEN PROCESSES MIRROR THE DISCIPLINE OF ANY PAINTER, SCULPTOR, OR COMPOSER. FOR THOSE OF US WHO MOVE BETWEEN ART, COMMERCE, AND COMMUNITY, THE FIELD BECOMES AS MEANINGFUL A STUDIO AS ANY GALLERY OR STAGE.
HOW I SHARE MYSELF WITH THE WORLD CAN BE DESCRIBED IN THE INTERSECTION OF ART, COMMUNITY AND COMMERCE. WRITING HAS BEEN ONE OF THE PRIMARY TOOLS THROUGH WHICH I ADVOCATE FOR THESE INTERSECTIONS. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, MY ATTENTION TURNED TOWARD AGRICULTURE - FARMING DESERVES ITS RIGHTFUL RECOGNITION WITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF FINE ART. THE PRACTICE DEMANDS ENDURANCE & A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE IN ORDER FOR BEAUTY AND SUSTAINABILITY TO REPRODUCE.
WINEMAKING OFFERS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THIS PHILOSOPHY. A VINEYARD IS BOTH A CANVAS AND LABORATORY, A SPACE WHERE SCIENCE AND CREATIVITY COLLABORATE THROUGH THE SOIL’S HEARTBEAT. A STANDOUT IN THIS FIELD EMBODIES THIS POWERFUL RELATIONSHIP. THROUGH MINIMAL INTERVENTION, THIS WOMAN APPROACHES WINEMAKING WITH THE SENSIBILITY OF BOTH SCIENTIST AND ARTIST. SHE IS NO STRANGER TO THE MASTERS OF WINE WORLD, NTSIKI BIYELA, FOUNDER/WINEMAKER BEHIND ASLINA WINES. RAISED IN A RURAL VILLAGE IN KWAZULU-NATAL (KZN), SOUTH AFRICA.
HOW I SHARE MYSELF WITH THE WORLD CAN BE DESCRIBED IN THE INTERSECTION OF ART, COMMUNITY AND COMMERCE. WRITING HAS BEEN ONE OF THE PRIMARY TOOLS THROUGH WHICH I ADVOCATE FOR THESE INTERSECTIONS. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, MY ATTENTION TURNED TOWARD AGRICULTURE - FARMING DESERVES ITS RIGHTFUL RECOGNITION WITHIN THE LANGUAGE OF FINE ART. THE PRACTICE DEMANDS ENDURANCE & A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE IN ORDER FOR BEAUTY AND SUSTAINABILITY TO REPRODUCE.
WINEMAKING OFFERS ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THIS PHILOSOPHY. A VINEYARD IS BOTH A CANVAS AND LABORATORY, A SPACE WHERE SCIENCE AND CREATIVITY COLLABORATE THROUGH THE SOIL’S HEARTBEAT. A STANDOUT IN THIS FIELD EMBODIES THIS POWERFUL RELATIONSHIP. THROUGH MINIMAL INTERVENTION, THIS WOMAN APPROACHES WINEMAKING WITH THE SENSIBILITY OF BOTH SCIENTIST AND ARTIST. SHE IS NO STRANGER TO THE MASTERS OF WINE WORLD, NTSIKI BIYELA, FOUNDER/WINEMAKER BEHIND ASLINA WINES. RAISED IN A RURAL VILLAGE IN KWAZULU-NATAL (KZN), SOUTH AFRICA.
DURING THIS DISCUSSION, WE EXPLORE THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR THROUGH HER LENS; CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF VILLAGE FARMING, THE COLLABORATIVE ECOSYSTEMS BEHIND MODERN WINEMAKING AND THE CREATIVE RISKS BEHIND HER DISTINCTIVE SKIN CONTACT CHENIN BLANC. AS THE INTERVIEW COOKS, THE DISCUSSION ENTERS THE EMERGENCE OF A BROADER MEDITATION ON AGRICULTURE AS AN ACT OF CREATION - ONE THAT DESERVES ITS PLACE ALONGSIDE THE MOST RESPECTED FORMS OF FINE ART.
4AC: PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU'RE FROM & WHAT YOU DO.
NB: I WAS BORN IN KZN, FROM A SMALL VILLAGE, GREW UP UNDER MY GRANDMOTHER’S GUIDANCE AND TODAY I AM THE WINEMAKER AND DIRECTOR OF ASLINA WINES
4AC: PLEASE SHARE THE GENESIS OF YOUR INTEREST WITH FARMING. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM OF AGRICULTURE?
NB: AS A CHILD I GREW UP FARMING LIKE EVERYONE IN VILLAGE. IN AFRICA, SUBSISTENCE FARMING IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE CULTURE AND DAILY LIFE.
4AC: COULD YOU SPEAK ABOUT YOUR APPROACH TO WINEMAKING? IN WHAT WAY DO YOU SEE SCIENCE AND CREATIVITY MEETING IN YOUR WORK?
NB: I BELIEVE IN ALLOWING NATURE TAKES IT’S COURSE EITHER THAN RELYING HEAVILY ON ENGINEERING IN THE WINEMAKING PROCESS. THE SCIENCE LIES IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHEMISTRY AND MICROBIOLOGICAL COMPOSITION OF THE WINE WHILE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE BASED ON THE TASTE AND THE VISION OF THE FINAL PRODUCT.
4AC: WHAT DOES COLLABORATION LOOK LIKE IN YOUR WORK AND THROUGH YOUR PROCESS?
NB: COLLABORATION IN MY WORK INVOLVES PARTNERING WITH OTHER WINEMAKERS. WE WORK WITH OTHER FARMERS TO SOURCE GRAPES AND OTHER CELLARS TO ACCESS SPACE WE NEED FOR PRODUCTION.
4AC: HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE RECEPTION OF SOUTH AFRICAN WINES CHANGE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET? WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE FOR THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICAN WINES?
NB: THE SOUTH AFRICAN WINE SPACE HAS CHANGED, THE GLOBAL MARKET IS NOW AWARE AND KNOWS WHERE SOUTH AFRICA IS, THIS WAS AS A RESULT OF THE 2010 WORLD CUP. THE WINE INDUSTRY INNOVATION HAS HELPED AND ALLOWED THE MARKETS TO HAVE ACCESS TO AMAZING WINES OF GREAT VALUE.
4AC: YOUR SKIN CONTACT CHENIN BLANC WAS YOUR BIGGEST RISK, WHAT DO YOU THINK ATTRACTS CUSTOMERS TO THIS WINE IN PARTICULAR?
NB: THE SKIN CONTACT WAS MADE BASED ON WHAT I WANTED. I WANTED A WHITE WINE THAT HAS MORE TEXTURE, AND I KNEW THAT ALLOWING THE FERMENTATION ON THE SKIN WILL GIVE ME EXACTLY THAT. I THINK PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO THE WINE BECAUSE OF IT CHARACTER AND THE CREATIVITY THAT WENT TO IT.
4AC: WITH YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE, PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON DELEGATION. WHO’S TAKING CARE OF THE ASLINA BUSINESS WHEN YOU’RE OUT OF THE COUNTRY, WHY THEM? & WHAT’S YOUR SUGGESTION FOR CREATIVES WHO BATTLE WITH DELEGATION?
NB: WE ARE A VERY SMALL TEAM, AND EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT IN THEIR DEPARTMENT. AS A SMALL TEAM, WE ALSO SHARE A LOT ON OUR WORK TO AVOID GAPS WHEN SOMEONE IS AWAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO SHARES THE SAME PASSION AND SHARES YOUR VISION AND HAVE THE SAME VALUES. WITH ALL THAT IN PLACE, DELEGATION IS NEVER AN ISSUE. DELEGATION IS ALL ABOUT TRUST, I THINK ONCE YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE , THEN YOU CAN TRUST OTHERS TO HELP YOU OUT.
4AC: WHAT ARE YOUR 3 FAVORITE FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS (WITH YOUR WINE SPECIFICALLY)?
NB: UMSASANE WITH LAMB STEW, ASLINA CABERNET WITH JAPANESE SPICY NOODLES OR PORK BELLY, SKIN CONTACT CHENIN WITH RICH SEAFOOD
INTERVIEW COLLABORATOR/CONTRIBUTOR:
PORTIA WELLS
SPECIAL THANKS:
FUNGAI - FORMER GM @ CUBANA SOUTH AFRICA
EDEN BEZUIDENHOUT - HEAD OF MARKETING @ ASLINA WINES
ISAIAH KELSEY - SOMMELIER & MARCUS SAMUELSON GROUP RESTAURANT DIRECTOR
THABISO MOHOHLO - JOURNALIST & ECONOMICS/CULTURE ANALYST