Aslina Wines
Aslina is a wine company owned by Ntsiki Biyela, the first black woman winemaker in South Africa. She is a highly awarded winemaker, and in September 2017 was named among the Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink, by a joint effort of Food & Wine Magazine with Fortune Magazine.
Aslina is the name of her late grandmother who was, and remains, her inspiration. Ntsiki Biyela grew up under her grandmother’s guidance and care. After 13 years of being a winemaker and ambassador of Stellekaya wines, Ntsiki Biyela continued her journey of inspiration by starting her own brand. This followed the collaboration she has been doing with Helen Keplinger for Wine for the World. Ntsiki has consulted in France and has made wine under Winemakers Collection in Bordeaux.
She grew up in Mahlabathini, a rural village in Kwazulu Natal, and matriculated from high school in 1996. Having spent a year as a domestic worker, she was awarded a scholarship to study winemaking in 1999. She graduated in 2003 with a BSc in Agriculture (Viticulture and Oenology) at Stellenbosch University and joined Stellekaya the following year. Ntsiki was crowned Woman Winemaker of the Year in 2009 and has been the finalist for two consecutive years for The Most Influential Women in Business and Government.
Meet Ntsiki Biyela
She has received extensive media coverage throughout the world over the course of her career, including features on CNN, the front page of the New York Times, CNBC, SABC, Good Morning America, and more. Finally, she sits on the board of directors for the Pinotage Youth Development Academy, which provides technical training and personal development for young South Africans in the Cape Winelands, preparing them for work in the wine industry. The program offers them the unique opportunity to emulate her own considerable success.
Her winemaking philosophy drew upon earlier experiences of harvest in Tuscany and Bordeaux, where she discovered a close affinity with nature that rekindled her own deep connection with the soil growing up in KwaZulu-Natal. Today Aslina Wines are renowned for its range of premium wines and is the realisation of Ntsiki’s dream to create an exceptional world-class brand.
Awards
Old Mutual Trophy Awards, South Africa 2020
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon – Bronze
2018 Umsasane – Bronze
Sakuru Awards, Japan 2019
Umsasane 2017 – Gold
Sakuru Awards, Japan 2018
Umsasane 2016 – Gold
Michelangelo International Awards 2018
Umsasane 2017 – Gold
Michelangelo International Awards 2017
Chardonnay 2016 – Silver
Michelangelo International Awards 2019
Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 – Gold
Umsasane 2017 – Gold
Sommelier Awards 2019
Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 – The Elegant Classy Red
