Wine tasting adds punch to income

When James Kinuthia visited Australian Education Consults (AEC), he was looking to study for a science degree in Australia.

AEC arranged for him to study at Murdoch University in Perth, which is known for a variety of degrees including animal science, veterinary science, bio-technology, psychology, journalism, law, and information technology.

The 22-year-old arrived in Australia in 2004 to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree.

But by the time he left the university four years later, he not only had a double major degree in biological and environmental sciences, he had also developed an interest in Australian wine and wineries.

He is currently the proprietor of Makkin Limited, a company that distributes Australian wines in Kenya.

“When I left Kenya, I was young and did not really know what to expect in a foreign country or how I would manage on my own.

“I realised that I had to learn to be self-reliant, meet deadlines and targets in college, and develop a lot of personal discipline if I was going to succeed,” he says.

“We did odd jobs during vacations to get pocket money and one of the first jobs was pruning vines at a remote country town known as Boyup Brooke.

“A group of us thought this would be an ideal experience to explore the southern region of Perth. This was my first encounter with wine-making and I was fascinated.”

Wine was to become a hobby for the young man and he started attending tasting sessions and festivals. He also visited vineyards in most regions of western Australia during holidays.

He was impressed by wines from this region as they were characterised by floral, fruity, and woody flavour, which he felt was quite catchy.

“I was eager to pursue this hobby on a serious level and enrolled in a professional wine tasting and appreciation course at Western Australia Education Centre.

The eight-week course was fun and educative. We were taught how to taste wine, what to expect in a particular wine, the different characteristics in the varieties of wine, and how to judge it by appearance, nose, and palate,” he adds.

“Back home, in I noticed that there were few Australian wines in the market and armed with this new knowledge and a passion for wines, I decided to start an agency that sells Australian wines.

After doing a market survey over a period of four years, and using savings from his work and little businesses abroad, Makkin Limited was born to exclusively distribute and market Australian wines and wineries.

“According to my survey, the Africa market is willing to embrace new products as long as they are good value for money,” says the entrepreneur.
Makkin Limited distributes wine to several outlets in Kenya, including five-star hotels and world-class restaurants.

“Our target clientele is a fair wine drinker and exclusive client who appreciates good wine. However, we are also keen on those who are willing to know the difference between good wine and average wine,” he says.

The challenge for James Kinuthia is to encourage people to drink wine with their food and to change the perception that wine is mainly a drink for women.

Against this background, he hopes to start a wine appreciation school in the near future.