Jemma is our old 1979 Land rover, the sort which captures the romance of adventure in the African bush. She is also very much a symbol for much of what the Painted Wolf wine adventure is all about.
Emma already owned the Landy when I met her in early 1993, and the vehicle was to be the backdrop to so many wonderful adventures all over Southern Africa. Back then Jemma had a cage with a sleeping platform. We would lie there with the sparkling African night twinkling above and the ever-present low pitch rumble of elephants passing by into the night. Lions for which Savuti is so well known would call and patrol around Jemma at night, as would ever inquisitive hyenas.
Once we began Painted Wolf wines, Jemma took on a new role visiting the vineyards from which we bought our grapes and helping deliver them to the cellar. Our friend Jenny, with whom we shared many adventures in Botswana created the beautiful artwork on the Jemma wine labels, with Emma driving through the tranquil waters of the Okavango delta and I dashing across the savannah, Painted Wolves energetically running with the vehicle.
Jemma represents adventure and freedom, and the roads less travelled – a perfect analogy for Painted Wolf Wines. .