City Lodge Hotels Unveils EASY House Wines with Diemersfontein Wine Estate & Thokozani Holdings
CITY LODGE HOTELS LAUNCHES EASY HOUSE WINES WITH DIEMERSFONTEIN. NEW PARTNERSHIP BOOSTS B-BBEE AND EMPOWERMENT EFFORTS.
City Lodge Hotels is thrilled to introduce its debut range of EASY house wines. These wines are produced in partnership with the award-winning Diemersfontein Wine Estate and Thokozani Holdings. As the group’s food and beverage offerings continue to grow, adding a signature house wine was a natural progression.
Exceptional EASY House Wines
The new EASY house wines include EASY Red and EASY White. These wines reflect City Lodge Hotels’ commitment to providing quality and exceptional value at a great price across all their restaurants and bars. EASY White is a 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, pale yellow with a green tinge. It boasts fresh acidity and ripe tropical fruits like pineapple and passion fruit, ending with a zingy lime and textured mouthfeel. This wine pairs well with salads, fish, chicken dishes, light snacks, pizzas, and sandwiches.
EASY Red is a 2022 Pinotage featuring rich, dark fruits like mulberry and blackberry on the nose. On the palate, it offers strawberry, cherry, and plum, with a subtle hint of well-balanced oak. It pairs perfectly with Shisa Nyama, chicken curry, hearty grills, and chocolate mousse.
Availability and Pricing
EASY wines are available across all four hotel brands: Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge, and Road Lodge. EASY White sells for R45 per glass and R170 per bottle, while EASY Red sells for R50 per glass and R180 per bottle.
Diemersfontein’s Legacy
Diemersfontein has belonged to the Sonnenberg family for three generations. David’s grandfather, Max, bought the 183-hectare fruit farm in the early 1940s. The estate, located near the Hawekwa Mountains, planted its first vineyards in 1986 and built a cellar in 2000. The estate produces various wines, including Shiraz, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin, Viognier, and Mourvèdre. Diemersfontein’s maiden vintage in 2001 won the Paul Sauer Trophy at the SA Young Wine Show, marking the start of many accolades.
Thokozani Holdings and Empowerment
Thokozani Staff Holdings, a level 1 B-BBEE majority female company, is an empowerment venture between Diemersfontein’s owners and the estate’s employees. Denise Stubbs, CEO of Thokozani, emphasizes the importance of training and development in achieving sustainable economic empowerment for employees. She grew up as a laborer’s child and, with mentoring from the Sonnenbergs, became a majority shareholder and Managing Director of Thokozani.
Thokozani Holdings, owned by 39 Diemersfontein employees, follows a similar business model to Diemersfontein Wine and Country Estate. It includes a wine brand, guest houses, and conference facilities. Developing staff expertise and skills is crucial to ensuring Thokozani’s growth and financial security for its shareholders.
Educational Contributions
Wellington Preparatory School and College, established on the Estate in 2004, is IEB accredited and has a track record of producing top students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The school, inspired by Sue and David Sonnenberg, currently supports 40 disadvantaged students through a trust.
