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Mission

Our mission is to produce world class wines that change what is possible. We are focused on elevating wines from around the global south and reimagining them to be even more delightful. Ikenga Wines is where science supports flavor, culture and the environment - allowing you to explore your palate in a new way, pair with rich and delicious foods, not to mention celebrate in a way that feels authentic and meaningful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do your wines taste like the traditional palm wine?

    • We think our wines are even better – we have spent time to understand traditional palm wine and hone our winemaking process to bring out the untapped potential of the category
    • Our wines explore attributes that traditional palm wine lacks – have you ever had sparkling palm wine? How about a dry palm wine?

Do your wines contain Genetically Modified or Engineered Organisms?

    • No- While we don’t have a fundamental issue with genetic modification for precision improvements, we aren’t currently exploring this for our products.

Are your wines available for immediate fulfillment?

    • Not yet! We have just wrapped up developing our West African flavor profiles and observing the aging of various batches. For now, grab a pre-order before they’re all gone or sign up for our mailing list to hear about updates.

About Ikenga

Ikenga (ik-en-ga) in Igbo culture and traditional religion, is the embodiment of personal achievement, strength and individuality. The adoring ram horns symbolize fighting with your head, while the embellishments represent unique aspects achievement.

At Ikenga Wines we explore the intersection of nature, technology, cultural knowledge and artisanship. Combining the traditional and the modern to produce uncompromising products, while celebrating the diversity of boundary pushing achievement. We do this through hard work and elegant design; using our heads and trusting our gut.

More about Ikenga concept

About the Winemaker

Founder and Winemaker Onye Ahanotu, is classically trained in the sciences, engineering and design. He grew up as a Nigerian-American in the heart of the, now world renowned, Northern California Wine Country. As a former Harvard Scientist and National Labs fellow, Onye has worked on a range of environmental impact technologies. Outside of the lab, his creativity was applied to conceptual art as well as fusing culinary traditions from around the world. His years of honing both culinary and scientific abilities, his perspectives are brought together at Ikenga Wines to celebrate under-represented categories like palm wine, unleashing the untapped potential.

Growing up with the occasional trip to visit family in Nigeria, Onye’s primary rooting to his Father’s land was through food. These special dishes were very different from what was available outside the home. With a mix of cultural and technical influences, he is exploring the flavors, techniques and histories from around the global south.

Onye's Portfolio Site
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Our Blog

December 12, 2020
Winemaker's Vision
In the age of food movements- niche regional cuisines and artisan purveyors, why haven’t tropical wines been paid any attention? One easy answ...
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