Wire report
‘We built this land’: descendants of enslaved people are reclaiming their history across South Africa’s vineyards
Slavery was integral to the country’s wine industry. Now a handful of wineries are addressing its legacy and righting the wrongs of the past At Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in South Africa, the 450,000 visitors who pass through its gates annually can admire the picturesque vineyards sloping towards a bay ringed by mountains or enjoy a glass of sweet Grand Constance, reputed to have been Napoleon’s favourite wine. Unusually among the region’s old vineyards, there is also a museum that includes the history of slavery, run by state body Iziko Museums. Panels display information about enslaved people – about 30 of whom lived on the estate at any given time from its founding in 1685 until slavery was abolished in 1834 by the British colonial government – detailing everything from their work to what they ate. Continue reading...
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Slavery was integral to the country’s wine industry. Now a handful of wineries are addressing its legacy and righting the wrongs of the past At Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in South Africa, the 450,000 visitors who pass through its gates annually can admire the picturesque vineyards sloping towards a bay ringed by mountains or enjoy a glass of sweet Grand Constance, reputed to have been Napoleon’s favourite wine. Unusually among the region’s old vineyards, there is also a museum that includes the history of slavery, run by state body Iziko Museums. Panels display information about enslaved people – about 30 of whom lived on the estate at any given time from its founding in 1685 until slavery was abolished in 1834 by the British colonial government – detailing everything from their work to what they ate. Continue reading...
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What happened
According to The Guardian’s source item, ‘We built this land’: descendants of enslaved people are reclaiming their history across South Africa’s vineyards, Slavery was integral to the country’s wine industry. Now a handful of wineries are addressing its legacy and righting the wrongs of the past At Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in South Africa, the 450,000 visitors who pass through its gates annually can admire the picturesque vineyards sloping towards a bay ringed by mountains or enjoy a glass of sweet Grand Constance, reputed to have been Napoleon’s favourite wine. Unusually among the region’s old vineyards, there is also a museum that includes the history of slavery, run by state body Iziko Museums. Panels display information about enslaved people – about 30 of whom lived on the estate at any given time from its founding in 1685 until slavery was abolished in 1834 by the British colonial government – detailing everything from their work to what they ate. Continue reading…
Context
The development sits in VINI’s Technology file for readers following technology, science, product policy, markets, infrastructure, and the public consequences of innovation. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-10-26T05:00:23+00:00.
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Source
Primary source: ‘We built this land’: descendants of enslaved people are reclaiming their history across South Africa’s vineyards via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.
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Source links
- ‘We built this land’: descendants of enslaved people are reclaiming their history across South Africa’s vineyardsThe Guardian - 2026-10-26T05:00:23+00:00
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