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Vineyard on the Equator Discovered
What may be the only cultivated vineyard at latitude 0º consists of a two and a half acre plot behind the tiny Valley Hotel at Bushenyi, in the mountains of Western
Uganda. Whilst staying at the hotel I discovered the rather untidy and unpruned vineyard in the course of an early morning stroll. Better still there were healthy
bunches of grapes to be seen from several different grape varieties.
It was owned, so I found out, by 68-year-old retired schoolteacher, William Mukaira who invited me into his home and allowed me to taste his wine as he explained his
purpose. The wine was still unfiltered and so a little cloudy. It was pinkish red in colour with quite an astringent bouquet, was slightly sour on the palate but quite full, probably
around 11.5 - 12% abv, with a reasonable amount of fruit and a bone dry finish. It reminded me of the foxiness associated with some North American labrusca varieties but most important it was recognisable as wine.
William lives in an extremely poor region and had hoped in his retirement to make some contribution to improving living standards. He had a large garden and so wished
to put it to use. Though a practising Anglican himself he knew of the Roman Catholic White Fathers who had brought a handful of vines from France and Italy over the
previous 40 years. These had been planted in ones and twos around their missions to enable them to produce a little sacramental wine. When the Fathers returned to
Europe they were replaced by Ugandans who didn't have a viticultural heritage, so William, who had observed that most of the vines thrived in the Equatorial climate,
arranged to take some cuttings. After one or two minor experiments he began serious planting early in 1995. His knowledge was minimal and he realised it would be a
matter of trial and error but with the most interesting results.
The Valley Vineyard lies at around 4,600 feet and never experiences the changing weather patterns found in the main winegrowing regions of the world. Its soil of sand
and clay has two dry and two wet seasons, an average daytime temperature of 25-27ºC, rainfall of around 40 inches p.a. and produces two crops a year, usually in
March and September. So far William has been unable to identify the cuttings he took from the White Fathers and it would need the services of a vitcultural expert - an
ampelographer to be exact - to help him. On the other hand, having heard of some successful cultivation in Namibia he has imported two white varieties from there called
Regalé and Staveau, which are probably French hybrids.
The first attempts at wine making were carried out for him by a former house boy for
the White Fathers, and though the results don't merit many compliments, they clearly demonstrate that commercial wine production in the region is a serious possibility.
William has carried out the first experiments but it now needs some trials by an international company with wide experience. The Valley Vineyard raises some
fascinating questions as to which varieties can thrive in such conditions and whether it is possible to make two satisfactory vintages per annum. Who knows? Uganda
Cabernet Sauvignon could be the new fashion red around 2020 and how much more will have been learned about viticulture and winemaking by then?
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Last updated on April 30, 2008