More than simply a wine and food loving community that is
informal, fun and unpretentious, Come Wine With Us is the ‘ultimate foodie
experience’. It brings together wine estates, restaurants and patrons, with a shared
passion for good food and wine – and those who love ‘the finer things in life’.
Founded in 2012 by Sybil Doms, with her extensive background in food and wine, the
company comes from humble beginnings. Five years ago, with Sybil having given
up her freelance work, yet despising the permanent retail position she’d taken,
she was desperate to get back into food and wine.
At the time, Sybil’s aunt asked for her advice. She sent
Sybil six bottles of wine and asked for her ideas on what canapés she could
serve with the wines. Sybil worked out the menu, invited some foodie friends
around, they loved it… and Come Wine With Us was born. “This year, we have
events in March in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and in May in Durban and
Pretoria, plus more events throughout the year,” says Sybil.
The success of the business speaks for itself: it is a
brilliant networking opportunity, with people who all share the same passion. “Many
people religiously come to our events and today, the business is snowballing;
people feel proud to associate with our brand, but mostly love to feel part of
this passionate foodie community,” she says. Given the success – including a
partnership with Zomato this year − Sybil has big plans for the company. In the
near future, she would “like to align with other alcohol brands such as whiskey,
vodca and brandy”.
Going forward, Sybil’s aim is to make CWWU a ‘Proudly
South African community’ – and take it overseas. “South African wines
definitely don’t have enough exposure overseas; our local wines are fighting
for shelf space, as Italian, French and Spanish wines dominate the overseas
market. I want to create an emotional experience for overseas wine lovers to
fall in love with South African wine and ultimately, to explore the South
African wine regions and boost local tourism,” she says. “It’s interesting to
note that the overseas market – particularly wine brands in Napa Valley – have
been (virtually) watching our events very closely and doing similar things
overseas. Concludes Sybil: “I am flattered that they are taking inspiration
from our events. We must be doing something right!”
Come Wine With Us
www.comewinewithus.co.za
Details of the upcoming Come Wine With Us event: click here
