Hope and pride: Zimbabweans put the country on the map in world of wine

‘It has been pure grit, passion, and dedication’: Tinashe Nyamudoka, a Zimbabwean sommelier and founder of Kumusha wines Nyasha Chingono in Harare Like many young Zimbabweans before and since, Tinashe Nyamudoka left the economic chaos of his country to find work and a better life for himself in neighbouring South Africa.| When he left in 2008, Nyamudoka had never tasted wine. Now, he ranks among southern Africa’s top sommeliers and has his own wine label with international sales. “We have a lot going against us as Zimbabweans, and you might think there is nothing good coming out of the country,” says the 36-year-old. “So, for me to be recognised as the sommeliers in the world, being African and Zimbabwean, instils a sense of hope and pride.” Nyamudoka began his career as a waiter in a Cape Town restaurant, where he learned about the different varieties and tastes of the wines his customers drank.