Meet our Head Sommelier
Luvo Ntezo is passionate about sharing our unique wine heritage
Luvo Ntezo's Cape Town
An accomplished sommelier, avid wine collector and aspiring winemaker, there is no-one better placed to inspire and ignite your love of wine than Luvo Ntezo. Internationally celebrated as the Best Young Sommelier in South Africa and acknowledged as a shining star in the global wine community, Luvo has been exposed to thousands of wines across the world. He travels every year to discover new wine routes, but remains deeply rooted in South African vintages. Committed to exploring boutique and emerging winemakers, Luvo gives One&Only Cape Town guests an exclusive and unique immersion into the finest bottles that the Cape Winelands has to offer.
Discover South African wines
“South Africa is my home, and South African wines are my heritage and my identity. They’re outstandingly beautiful wines, bold in youth and elegant in age. We have wine that is indigenous to us, like Pinotage, and grapes we produce more of than any other region, namely Chenin Blanc. You can enjoy wines from the southernmost tip of Africa and wines that are created in some of the highest altitude vineyards in the world; wines that reflect the diversity of our country.”
“When our guests taste wine with me, I want them to savour it in the way that appeals to them. We do away with the orthodox methods of wine tasting and break down the barriers that can be associated with more formal sessions. By starting with the wines people tell us they are familiar with – from an Italian Chianti to a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and finding similar South African wines – our guests can both discover new favourites and try wines that are a little more unusual.”
The heart of the Cape Winelands
“Every Monday, I get in the car with my daughter and drive into the Cape Winelands, seeking out wines of difference and wines with unique stories. We all can relate to stories, so when I find a beautiful wine with a remarkable story, it’s something quite beautiful. For example, I visited a petite winery that turned out to be a converted squash court, but home to one of the most remarkable wines I have ever tasted, not to mention an incredibly modest but highly revered winemaker. I’m able to list the wines I discover in our spectacular Wine Loft and through my relationships, open the doors for our guests to be able to visit wine farms that are usually not open to the public.”
“I adore accompanying guests on their personal explorations of the winelands, curating vineyard visits, cellar tours, barrel tastings, and vertical masterclasses. I invite the owners of the estate to join us, meaning guests get to taste not just the current vintages being sold but a rarity from the library stock. We go down to the cellars, draw wines and taste from the barrel – there’s nothing quite like it. Hopefully in this way, our guests will remember South African wines as being made with heart and able to compete with some of the best wines in the world.”
Our Wine Loft experiences
“The Wine Loft is home to 5000 bottles, a huge collection of regional and international vintages. I’m working on a phenomenal project to ensure we have every female winemaker in South Africa represented here. With more than 100 women making marvellous wines in our country, it will be quite the collection. I also keep wines of the world for our South African guests – even though local vintages will always be my personal preference!”
“Guests can experience the Wine Loft in various ways. My team of sommeliers and I host daily tastings for up to 12 people, with our wine and cheese pairings always popular. We can even curate romantic, private dinners for two inside the Wine Loft. I also work closely with our chefs and local winemakers, who speak enthusiastically about their food and wine pairings. These dinners are very relaxed; if you prefer your white wine with your rare steak, that’s absolutely perfect. It’s all about having fun tasting different wines and connecting our guests with local winemakers."
Wine Loft
Explore 5,000 bottles of the world’s best wine and rare South African vintages, and taste bold, new flavours with our sommeliers.
Ochre
Ochre brings together a kaleidoscope of heritages to create uniquely re-imagined dishes and flavours, exquisitely prepared by Head chef Chris Mare.