15/05/2026
BETWEEN THE EQUATOR AND THE VINES
An Afternoon at La Sambara, Kenya’s High-Altitude Wine Escape
By Kevin Obulemire.
WSET, CMS (Intro)
Wine Routes Limited.
The Journey- A Drive into an Unexpected Wine Country
Early morning on a Saturday, leaving behind the increasingly hurried rhythm of Nairobi, the road north gradually opens into broad plains, acacia silhouettes, and cool highland air. Beyond Nanyuki in the early afternoon towards Meru, the road had its way of changing our moods. The air cools. The landscapes widen. Mount Kenya appears and disappears between clouds like it is teasing the horizon. Then there were the constantly changing skies. The drive began sunny, before heavy rains swept across the middle stretch of the journey, again transforming the landscape. As we approached Kwa Mungania, the rain slowly gave way to moderate sunshine, which steadily grew in intensity through the rest of the afternoon.
Beyond Kwa Mungania, the road levels out and the scenery softens into rolling green and open skies of Buuri hills. There is a quiet shift in atmosphere, less about the journey and more about arrival. We exited the main road onto a well-kept murram road, easily navigated even in a low car. After about 10 minutes on the murram, we arrived at Sambara Zabibu Shamba, home of La Sambara wines, named after the Sambara Hills visible behind the vineyard.
The Vineyard
The vineyard sits comfortably within its surroundings, unassuming at first glance, but clearly shaped by careful attention. Rows of vines stretch neatly across the landscape, and the air carries that fresh, slightly earthy scent that follows rainfall on warm soil. There is a sense of stillness here, broken only by the breeze moving through the vines and the loud shouts of a man chasing away birds, also eager to taste what is most valuable here, grapes on the vines.
As we got further into the estate, the story of La Sambara begins to unfold not just in words, but in the way the vineyard is tended, row by row, with a kind of quiet discipline that only reveals itself over time.
I had gone expecting curiosity more than conviction. Kenyan wine is still a conversation that many people approach cautiously-especially among sommeliers and wine enthusiasts who have spent years studying and exploring the great classics of Europe, South Africa, South America, and beyond. But what I found at La Sambara was not novelty. It was intent.
The vineyard feels alive in a very particular way-far from polished in the artificial sense, yet deeply connected to the land around it. Wild grasses move between and around the vines. Rocky ground underfoot. Above it all, the sky stretches endlessly over the Buuri Hills. In the distance, you can almost feel Samburu and Isiolo pulling at the edges of the landscape.
“Some vineyards impress you with history. Others impress you with possibility.”
We were welcomed with a glass of wine from their range-white, orange, or red-before we began the vineyard tour. I settled on the 2023 Shiraz to start, allowing the white and orange wines a little more time to chill before the tasting continued.And then there are the vines themselves.
Walking through the vineyard rows, I remember being struck by how young yet confident everything felt-a winery only seven years into its story, but already clear about its identity: Kenyan, organic, minimal intervention, and proudly expressive of place.
Guided through the vines by Eric and the farm manager Rahab, they explained how every vintage behaves differently depending on rainfall (particularly the 2024 vintage), flowering conditions, and temperature shifts. There was no attempt to force consistency for the sake of marketing language. Instead, there was a clear respect for nature’s unpredictability, particularly in organic farming under Kenyan conditions. You could sense that the people behind the wines genuinely believe each harvest should speak differently.
That philosophy stayed with me throughout the visit.
“You don’t expect to find vineyards rolling quietly beneath the shadow of Mount Kenya — and perhaps that is exactly what makes the experience unforgettable.”
Eric and Rahab explained how the vineyard was first planted seven years ago with Chenin Blanc and Shiraz from France- chosen to pioneer the site and test what could take root in this part of Kenya. Both varieties have since adapted well to the conditions and now sit at the centre of their commercially available wines, forming the backbone of La Sambara’s current production.
Since then, the vineyard has expanded its experimentation, introducing Colombard and Tannat, both of which appear to be adapting well to the conditions and showing encouraging progress.
Not every variety, however, has responded in the same way. The Sauvignon Blanc, still in its trial phase, seems to be struggling with the environment, a quiet reminder that not every grape travels well, even when carefully nurtured. There is no attempt to mask this reality-only observation, adjustment, and learning in real time.
The Tasting & Pairing
La Sambara sits within a broader luxury ranch environment, blending hospitality, conservation, architecture, and viticulture into one experience. The setting feels distinctly Kenyan, not an imitation of Europe, but something more interesting: an interpretation of wine culture through Kenyan hospitality and cuisine.
The tasting was arranged in a relaxed, approachable way rather than as a formal exercise. Guests began with a grazing platter of cheeses, olives, red grapes, and fresh bread, offering easy pairings as conversations settled into the afternoon.
The white wines were paired with tandoori chicken and tikka chicken, while the reds were served alongside roast goat meat and grilled lamb. Both stations included potatoes, grilled vegetables, and a selection of sauces that complemented the wines without overpowering them. To finish, slices of watermelon and pineapple were served as a light, refreshing end to the tasting experience.
We then immersed ourselves into the tasting, beginning with the 2025 Chenin Blanc. The wine revealed citrus-driven aromas with less pronounced white floral notes, alongside fresh apple and bright lemon characteristics that carried clearly onto the palate. You could sense the youthfulness of the vines through the slightly tart acidity, balanced by a medium body, slight minerality, and a medium-length finish. The Chenin Blanc shows strong potential for further development as the vines continue to mature.
Although we did not get the opportunity to tour the winery itself, we learned that the wines are left to ferment naturally after the grapes are hand-picked with the help of the local community, another reflection of the vineyard’s minimal-intervention philosophy. The wines are also bottled without sulphites, allowing the vineyard’s approach to remain as intervention-free as possible from harvest to bottle. Across the range, the wines remained notably moderate in alcohol at around 12% ABV, something that contributed to their freshness, drinkability, and overall sense of balance at altitude.
“Wine becomes more meaningful when tied to place- and few places are as visually compelling as this.”
An unexpected surprise-one that had been kept secret until our arrival-the 2025 Orange Chenin Blanc followed next, and immediately felt like one of the more intriguing wines of the afternoon. Amber-gold in colour, it carried aromas of dried orange peel, stone fruit, and a light herbal edge. On the palate, the skin contact became more apparent, bringing gentle tannic grip and texture without overwhelming freshness. There was something rustic yet deliberate about it, a wine that felt less concerned with perfection and more interested in character.
We had first tasted the 2023 Shiraz while touring the vineyard prior to the formal tasting. Pale in intensity with a light ruby-red colour, the wine leaned toward earthy, slightly vegetal notes on the nose, carrying something damp and green, almost fern-like after rainfall. On the palate, restrained blackcurrant flavours slowly emerged, supported by balanced acidity and mid-level tannins that faded gently without lingering too long. There was still a noticeable youthfulness of the crop presented in the wine, almost reminiscent of freshly fermented grape juice, suggesting a harvest still in the early stages of finding its full expression
Later during the seated tasting, a 2025 vintage was presented. Visibly deeper in colour with youthful purple hues, the difference was immediately noticeable. The fruit profile felt more confident and expressive, leaning toward ripe red berries with subtle distant hints of white pepper and spice. The wine appeared more open and structured, showing clear progression in both vineyard development and harvest quality as the vines continue to mature. Through the three Shiraz vintages tasted, you could clearly sense the wines evolving year by year, gradually becoming more refined, expressive, and assured in their style. Perhaps the wine had also benefited from time in the decanter, but either way, the 2025 Shiraz carried noticeably more depth and balance than the earlier vintage.
Although it was not initially one of the bottles they intended to open-partly due to concerns surrounding the difficult 2024 season, which experienced unusually heavy rainfall-our hosts eventually offered us a taste of the 2024 Shiraz. Surprisingly, the wine revealed a character they themselves seemed uncertain about. There was an earthy undertone running through it, something raw and grounded, almost reminiscent of wet soil and dried herbs after rain. The fruit sat further in the background, but what emerged instead was texture, mood, and a sense of place. Imperfect perhaps, but deeply interesting in a way that only challenging vintages sometimes manage to become.
As a bonus, we were also surprised with a tasting of the 2025 Tannat. Still very much in its developmental stage, the wine nevertheless showed promising structure and character, offering an early glimpse into what could become another exciting expression from the vineyard in the years ahead. It felt like a wine with potential still unfolding, something genuinely worth looking forward to.
Beyond the Vineyard
As the afternoon slowly drifted toward evening, the vineyard settled back into its quiet rhythm. Glasses emptied more slowly. Conversations stretched longer beneath the fading light over the Buuri Hills. Before our departure, each guest was handed a complimentary bottle of wine of their choice alongside a signed card, a small gesture perhaps, but one that captured the warmth and intentional hospitality that seemed to define the entire experience at La Sambara.
Beyond the wines themselves, what stayed with me most was the sense that the vineyard understands it cannot exist separately from the community around it. Much of the vineyard’s maintenance and harvesting is carried out with the involvement of the local community, creating not just employment, but participation in the growth of something still very new for Kenya. We also learned of ongoing community initiatives, including a borehole project that serves both the estate and surrounding residents, a reminder that meaningful agriculture often becomes intertwined with the lives around it.
And yet, despite how much has already been achieved in just seven years, La Sambara still feels like a project in motion. Plans are underway to expand the vineyard further, establish their own bottling facilities, introduce fruit trees across sections of the estate, and eventually provide onsite accommodation that would allow guests to experience the vineyard beyond a single afternoon visit. There is ambition here, but it feels patient rather than hurried.
For Kenya’s wine industry, places like La Sambara represent something larger than tourism or simple curiosity. For years, Kenyan wine conversations have largely revolved around imports and established global regions. Sommeliers, collectors, and enthusiasts have looked outward toward France, Italy, South Africa, Chile, and beyond for benchmarks of quality and identity. La Sambara quietly challenges that instinct. Not by claiming perfection, nor by attempting imitation, but by proving that serious viticulture can begin to take shape here too, under Kenyan skies, at altitude, near the Equator.
The wines are still evolving. The vineyard itself is still evolving. But perhaps that is precisely what makes the experience compelling. You are not simply tasting finished products; you are witnessing the early chapters of a wine region discovering itself in real time.
And somewhere beneath the shifting clouds of Mount Kenya, between rainfall, red soil, and young vines pushing steadily into maturity, Kenyan wine no longer feels like a distant possibility. It feels like the beginning of something real.
