“Wine is Jesus Christ’s first invention,” Tbo Touch says when asked why he has ventured into the wine business.
The entrepreneur and media personality will officially launch his wine on Wednesday, and says it is long over due.
The news of Touch’s wine range is not new but he says, “I have never been more nervous about any project in my life!”
“The thing is, wine does not lie. There is no way around it, it’s either good or it’s not,” Touch says.
News his wine range surfaced in 2015 but he says he has not officially launched, although there have been exclusive tastings.
His first bottle of Touch Warwick wine was auctioned off for R1.3 million at The AfrAsia Cape Wine Auction at Klein Constantia farm back in February.
He met Mike Ratcliffe in 2013, and wine being one of Touch’s personal passions, they began immersing him in the process of wine making.
The learning process lead to another brilliant idea: a wine making academy for the children around the winelands in areas such as Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Langa.
“We are developing this academy to equip these children with skills. The academy is the right approach in addressing the inequalities that already exist in this areas of wealth creation.”
The cause is also close to Touch’s heart, as he, at one point in his life he could not even afford boxed wine and reminisces on a time he took a girl out on a date and was basically dumped for not being able to order a certain wine.
Mike had to remind Touch not to rush the process or the wine, and judging by the rate at which the wine is being shipped out of the country, his timing was perfect.
Although the exclusive launch is only happening on Wednesday, half of the bottles have already been sold, after orders came in from all over Africa.
The wine is available at most five star hotels and restaurants such as Butcher, Norman GoodFellows, Fusion Hotel and Boutique and Signature, among others.
“This is one bottle of wine you will never find just anywhere. If you are paying R 1 500 for a night at a hotel, we can’t expect you to pay R2 500 for a bottle of wine. Exclusivity is important,” Touch concluded.
IOL