South Africa’s first crowd-funded wine bar opens in Somerset West

A welcome addition to the Cape’s wine scene is Proof Bar, which opened in Somerset West early January, 2017.  Attesting to the ardent desire of South Africans to drink wine, it claims to be the first ever crowd-funded wine bar in the country.

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet.

Cape Town Magazine reports: Co-owners Dan Crowe and Wayne Mongie decided to raise their capital through Thundafund. The campaign ran for six weeks and with only one day to go, they hadn’t reached their target yet. Lucky for them, someone had been watching the process unfold, and this backer managed to pledge the difference of a whopping R130 000.

The idea for the Proof Wine Bar came when Dan and Wayne decided to bringing the CBD of Somerset West to the forefront. It’s proved an ingenious plan, not just in getting funding but also in creating a ready-made customer base.

The modern-industrial space offers wine lovers the opportunity to approach wine in a simple and unpretentious manner. It’s a place that invites vinos to explore and taste different samples of wines without committing to a bottle.

The name Proof refers to the alcohol content of a beverage. Proof represents twice the alcohol content as a percentage of volume. Thus, a 100 proof beverage is 50% alcohol by volume.

Open seven days a week from 11am to 11pm, the bar offers a changing roster of local wines by the glass at reasonable prices, craft beer and gin, plus a simple menu of cheese and charcuterie platters.