Earth’s Essence: South Africa’s Natural Wine, Beer & Cider Revolution

Earth’s Essence: South Africa’s Natural Wine, Beer & Cider Revolution

Earth’s Essence has officially launched South Africa’s first natural range of wine, beer, and cider and if you love clean, conscious drinking without the headaches, sulphites, or chemical preservatives, this is a game-changer worth knowing about.

What makes Earth’s Essence so exciting is how it blends science, innovation, and our rich South African heritage into a completely new kind of beverage experience.

Let’s dive in!

What Makes Earth’s Essence Different?

Earth’s Essence Liquors uses rooibos and honeybush antioxidants yes, our proudly South African botanicals to naturally preserve every bottle and brew.

That means:

• No artificial preservatives
• No added sulphites
• No chemical stabilisers
• Far fewer allergens or irritants
• A cleaner, purer drinking experience

This method preserves the flavour exactly as you expect, but with a softer, smoother, fresher profile.

And importantly: the drinks are NOT rooibos-flavoured. They simply use plant-based antioxidants as functional natural preservatives.

It’s preservation the natural way without compromising taste.

A World-First in Beverage Innovation

Earth’s Essence is the world’s first brand to offer one naturally preserved range across three categories:

• Wine
• Beer
• Cider

Consumers all over the world are asking for cleaner, more mindful drinks, and Earth’s Essence answers that call. The brand stands at the forefront of conscious brewing and winemaking, offering pure flavour with a proudly South African twist.

The Earth’s Essence Range

ROOIBOS EARTH’S ESSENCE MERLOT / CABERNET SAUVIGNON BLEND

A rich, velvety red with deep fruit notes and a beautifully smooth finish.
It’s vibrant, full-bodied, and completely pure the kind of wine you can enjoy mid-week or with a slow, indulgent dinner.

• Alcohol: 14%
• Price: R120 (Promo: R109.99)

ROOIBOS EARTH’S ESSENCE APPLE CIDER

If you love crisp, refreshing ciders, this one is perfect for hot Cape Town days. Naturally preserved with rooibos + honeybush, and a touch of buchu extract to boost the apple flavour.

• Alcohol: 3.8%
• Price: R119.99 (Promo: R99 for 4-pack)

ROOIBOS EARTH’S ESSENCE BEER

A reimagined beer with malted barley, filtered water, and drastically reduced hops replaced with rooibos and honeybush antioxidants.

The result? A clean, balanced brew with:

• Earthy and floral notes
• A smooth mouthfeel
• Lighter, more refreshing characteristics
• Fewer irritants than high-hop beers
• Alcohol: 3.8%
• Price: R119.99 (Promo: R99 for 4-pack)

This is a must-try if you’re sensitive to hops or struggle with regular beers.

The Story Behind Earth’s Essence

The idea was born in 2010, when winemaker Trevor Strydom was handed a simple cup of rooibos tea. That moment sparked a bold question:

“Could rooibos antioxidants preserve wine naturally — without sulphur?”

After 14 years of research with universities, government support, and the rooibos community, the answer became a patented innovation that now lives inside every bottle of Earth’s Essence wine, beer, and cider.

Today, 25 Checkers LiquorShop stores in Cape Town stock the full range with a national rollout coming soon.

Where to Buy Earth’s Essence

You can shop the range at these Checkers LiquorShop stores: Big Bay, Table Bay, Parklands, Bayside, De Grendel, Bothasig, Durbanville, Stellenbosch, Rondebosch, Sea Point, Hermanus, Whale Coast Mall and more.

Checkers Sixty60: Simply search “Earth’s Essence”

Visit: earthsessence.co.za

Earth’s Essence FAQ (Quick & Helpful!)

Q: Does it taste like rooibos?

A: No! Rooibos is used as a natural preservative, not a flavouring. The drinks taste exactly as wine, beer, or cider should.

Q: Why is it better for sensitive drinkers?

A: No sulphur dioxide, no artificial preservatives, fewer allergens: meaning fewer headaches, irritants, and reactions.

Q: Is the range vegan-friendly?

A: Yes — the wine and cider are vegan-friendly and gluten-free (beer contains gluten from barley).

Q: Where can I buy it?

A: Selected Checkers LiquorShop stores across Cape Town and via Checkers Sixty60.

Want more natural wine discoveries? Visit my full drink review archive here.