A LIGHT-HEARTED meander for people who simply enjoy wine and wanna know more… One of the more unusual events in the last quarter of the 2026 SA wine calendar is the talk Harry Melck CWM will be giving to diners at Café Roux in Cape Town's Noordhoek Village on the evening of Thursday 15 October. Over the course of an hour or so, he will set out to demystify South African wine through fascinating stories, surprising characters and little-known facts that have shaped one of the world's most remarkable wine industries.
Melck is a Cape Wine Master and former head of the Cape Wine Academy. Along the way he's learnt that wine is so much more than fermented grape juice: “It's history, politics, environment, art and skill, all sitting in one glass.” He's led more than 200 curated wine experiences for international guests and hosted countless private and corporate events.
The talk at Café Roux will span wine's earliest origins to today's economics and changing consumer trends. You'll hear about some of the people, moments, numbers and stories that explain how South African wine became what it is today. To buy tickets, click here.
Also worth considering, by wine lovers curious about the fundamentals of wine tasting, is an Introduction Course to South African Wine by Ex Animo in Woodstock, Cape Town. And for all of the top SA wine events during the months ahead, click here.