The African Energy Chamber (AEC) and South African wine estate Lothian Vineyards have created “Drill Baby Drill”, an exclusive wine brand celebrating Africa’s energy industry ambitions.

The brand will be formally launched during African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, which is scheduled to take place in Cape Town from October 12 to16, the AEC said in a press release on August 14. The event is expected to bring together energy executives, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs from Africa and international markets.

According to the AEC, the collaboration reflects broader links between investment, entrepreneurship and African business. It also aims to promote South African wine within an international energy community with longstanding ties to the continent’s oil and gas industry.

The range will initially include a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir made from grapes grown at Lothian’s vineyards in the Elgin Valley, one of South Africa’s leading cool-climate wine regions. The wines will not be available for general sale and will be offered exclusively to the AEC’s flagship event community.

The initiative, led by AEC executive chairman NJ Ayuk, brings together Africa’s energy sector and South Africa’s wine industry. The partnership also reflects the background of Lothian founder Gavin Wilson, who spent decades investing in and building oil and gas businesses in Africa and other international markets before focusing on winemaking.

Wilson said his experience in the energy industry helped shape the partnership. “Oil and gas has been a huge part of my life, but wine is an equal passion,” he stated. “I’ve been fortunate to work with and become friends with some of the great characters of the international energy industry, particularly across Africa. Drill Baby Drill brings those two worlds together – and gives us the chance to put exceptional South African wine in front of an extraordinary international community. South African wine can sit comfortably alongside many of the great wines of the world, and I think this range proves it.”

Lothian has developed an international reputation for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with recognition from the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge. Its 2023 Chardonnay received 97 points at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards.

Ayuk said the initiative was intended to highlight the role of African and international investors, entrepreneurs and energy industry leaders in the continent’s development.

“Bringing the brand to life in South Africa, with a winemaker whose own career is rooted in African energy, makes this collaboration particularly meaningful,” Ayuk stated. “We should be confident in our resources, our businesses and our ability to create African brands that can compete and earn recognition on the global stage. Drill Baby Drill is a small but tangible expression of that confidence.”