The Maasailand Winemaker

by Carol Mukami

Winemaking has been chaotic, to say the least, but every step has been an exhilarating and delicious adventure of a journey. I graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne and learned the basics of wine while working at a little bar, going on wine tours and taking short courses. Through these experiences, I realised that wine is the only thing I wanted to do with my life. A very bold choice indeed, so I’d like to thank my parents for teaching not be afraid of thinking outside the box. It did take quite a lot to commit to starting the vineyard at 22, but it’s all been worth it. I had absolutely nothing to lose. Besides, who doesn’t want to own vineyard?

I’ve been lucky enough to tour wineries in Australia, the US, Tanzania, South Africa and Kenya, and study South African, French and Australian wine. Visiting each of these places has given me a broad understanding of wine, theoretically and practically, and taught me to really appreciate different wine cultures. I plan on using this exposure in my own winemaking and create products as incredible as those I have tasted.

SAIKERI ESTATE

So, how did it really start? Well, I’d be hard pressed to give a date, but it may be the day I first had a glass of the 2014 Shiraz Rosé at Dominique Portet Estate. Crisp and clean, tasting of red apples, raspberries and plums. It was the best thing I had ever tasted and I wanted to make my own.

My vineyard is called Saikeri Estate and is located in Saikeri Town in Kajiado Country, about 1.5-hour drive from Karen. It started as a quarter acre and is now just over an acre. It sits in the Rift Valley and faces Mount Suswa conservancy. It’s hot – average 31°C hot – for most of the year, and the ground made up of Sandy Loam soil. The semi-arid environment is surrounded by indigenous shrubs and there’s an ever-present sound of goats bleating in the background. Water is underground, and we use a borehole for irrigation. Masaai Land at its finest. I pretty much learnt what I have about viticulture through research, persistently asking anyone I knew who knows about farming or viticulture what to do, and YouTube videos. Not necessarily the best way to do things, but we move. The vines come from Maua Town, where Italian missionaries had them planted in the mid-1950s. They are Barbera, a typical Italian grape varietal, and Sauvignon Blanc, one of the most popular varietals. I’d have liked to have more varietals but haven’t quite figured out how, or where, to get them from.

Barbera vines were the first ones planted in 2017 as a pilot project to see how they’ll take to the environment. Planting vines isn’t the same as planting other fruit trees. They must face the sunlight at a particular angle, be planted deep enough to protect the young roots, be in a position to grow up and wide without interfering with the next vines. There’s also an optimal amount of water you should put on the vines, be terraced correctly etc. I learned on the go. Honestly, the Barbera vines almost died due to drought and disease, thankfully they didn’t, and we used our newfound knowledge in the vineyard extension. I can confirm it’s been much easier getting the newly planted vines to root.

There is so much winemakers don’t tell you. Wildlife conflict, for example, is something I could not have prepared for. Elands, giraffes, porcupines, birds and small antelopes come to eat and kick the vines. It’s very frustrating for two reasons, first is because these animals are genuinely hungry since there is a scarcity of food and water out in the bush, and second is because I know how much time and effort went into tending to the vines they destroy. This is the biggest challenge for me, and from it, I learned to love these same animals and I now have a newfound respect for water. We use non-violent techniques to keep wildlife off the land, as well as involving our local community when animals are spotted coming too close. I have no reason to harm wildlife, they have as much right to use the land as I do. Aside from this, season changes and disease are other problems, but that’s often due to lack of proper organisation so it’s not too bad.

Winemakers also don’t tell you what it feels when you see a tiny bud turn into a whole grape. It’s surreal! You almost want to go shouting that you made it to everyone who walks past you. That simple changebare grafted vine, to baby vine, to bigger vine with lush green leaves, to a big vine small buds, to a strong vine with grapes–it’s incredible. It makes all the hard work worth it, even more so when I look back and realise that it’s superhuman resilience that got me to this point. Winemaking is demanding and rewards those who are willing to work through the process, much like anything else in life. I don’t have any wine just yet, but it will be available soon enough. Until then, I suggest you try as much as you can and let me know how it goes.