We discovered a small wine estate on the road to Semonkong, so we made a quick stop at Sani Wines in Ha Ntsi, near Nazareth on the southern outskirts of Maseru. It is Lesotho’s first and, so far, only commercial winery.
The project began around 2008, when the Thamae family, led by entrepreneur Kananelo Thamae, started cultivating table grapes. The family received encouragement from visiting tourists and wine experts, including Eric Verhaak and Udo Göebel, and in 2012 the first wines officially reached the market, marking the beginning of commercial winemaking in the Mountain Kingdom.
The vineyard sits at around 1,500–1,800 metres above sea level in the foothills of the Maloti Mountains, making it one of Africa’s highest-altitude wine-growing projects. The estate also has an above-ground wine cellar built in the traditional style of a Lesotho rondavel.
The boutique vineyard mainly produces high-altitude Pinotage and Chenin Blanc. Cultivation is adapted to the challenging conditions, with sustainable practices, thick grass mulching and winter cover crops helping to manage the shallow sandstone soils. Hailstorms are one of the biggest seasonal challenges, so the winery uses protective netting to shield the delicate vines.
Production remains deliberately small and artisanal. From just 50 bottles during the first year, production has gradually increased to roughly 400–4,000 bottles per season, depending on the weather and harvest conditions. When available locally, the wines generally sell for around M200 per bottle.
During our visit, we met Mothiba Thamae’s brother, who kindly showed us around the vineyards and introduced us to the local wines. We also enjoyed beautiful views across the surrounding Maloti landscape. It was fascinating to discover such a small, unusual wine project in Lesotho.
Of course, we couldn’t leave empty-handed, so we bought four bottles — the white wine for LSL 180 and the red for LSL 210 per bottle. A few bottles of Lesotho wine will now continue their journey with our expedition truck!
