Winemaker Koketso Motaung toasts to inaugural wine festival in Klerksdorp

The inaugural Wine and Bubbles Festival is looking to put Klerksdorp on the map as a wine destination for experts and fans of local winemaking.   

Upon arrival, attendees of the festival will be taken on a glamorous parade of the best from the mining town. Starting with an art exhibition by B-gallery showcasing beautiful works by artists Daniel Tladi, Johan Kruger and Andre Austin.   

“When you enter the convention centre, you will go through the gallery because I’m creating that ambience and art goes hand in hand with wines. Start with the gallery, then you move into the space to meet the vendors, be taught about wine by a sommelier and local businesses,” says 37-year-old Koketso Motaung, festival founder and winemaker.

“We have also included a networking hour for all guests and stakeholders to connect.”

The event is set to take place at the Rio Hotel Casino and Convention Resort on April 26.

“Coming from Pretoria and Johannesburg, we are exposed to the wine festivals and expos where people get to taste different kinds of wines and meet the winemakers. I’m in the wine industry and after I moved to the small town, I saw the need to start something similar,” she says.   

Festivalgoers will taste wines from more than 80 winemakers, many black women-owned. Well-known wines such as Nanola Wines, Mama Afrika Wines, Randela Wines, Zulu Girl Wines, Kunye Wines, J9 Wines and many others will showcase.

“Why not expose the ladies [winemakers] and their brands to this area? This is exciting for me as it sets the stage for the festival to become a signature event in the Klerksdorp area, showcasing local premium wines people have not tasted before,” Motaung says.

Winemaking is in Motaung’s veins. The Mamelodi native has always known she was destined for entrepreneurship and launched her brand Enelo, which signifies contentment, after the birth of her third daughter.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the wine business and have my brand but thinking something was missing,” Motaung says.

“I had my first daughter and then I had my second daughter and then I launched my wine. From then on I went quiet; however, after I had my third daughter, I realised that I was no longer doing this for me and it was for them. Hence, I named my brand Enelo, which means I am content with who I am and the missing piece that has been restored.”

Motaung launched her brand of wine in 2023 with two blends of wine, merlot and sauvignon blanc, and a sparkling MCC. She is listing it.

In Klerksdorp, Motaung is self-employed and works with imported wines. She is an experienced event planner and curates social and food experiences for corporate luncheons, small gatherings, plus food and wine pairings.   

“When I left my job in Isando in 2012, my family was upset with me. I went on to start a daycare centre in Mamelodi and named it after my first daughter, Khutso,” she says.

“Within three months of opening the daycare centre, I had 90 kids I cared for. I would stay open until 6pm because my philosophy was that every child should go home having eaten supper. I had to shut down at the start of Covid-19 and that’s when I moved to Klerksdorp with my husband’s family, commuting between the small town and Johannesburg.”

Pairing food with wine

A simple guide to pairing wines with traditional Mzansi dishes

1. Bobotie pairs with chenin blanc. The spicy baked meat dish is complemented by the fruity and sweet notes of the wine.
2. Bunny chow with sauvignon blanc. The popular hearty Durban spice curry and bread speciality is complemented by the fresh, zesty flavour of sauvignon blanc.
3. Braai meat flavour with pinotage or syrah. Our open-flame braai is not just the meat; the side dishes of pap, chakalaka and or a sort of spicy side dish are equally VVIP. It pairs beautifully with either a pinotage's smoky flavour or the spicy peppery notes of the syrah.