Find South African wine industry contacts

Wim Truter

KWV Head Winemaker

Wim Truter as the new Chief Winemaker at KWV. He brings thirteen years of international and local wine industry experience to one of SA’s most revered producers.

Marco Ventrella

KWV Head Viticulturist

KWV Classic Collection

+27.218073414
+27.828888820

Like a really good wine, Marco Ventrella matured into winemaking.

De Wet Viljoen

Winemaker

Neethlingshof Wine Estate

+27.218838988

De Wet Viljoen was raised on a wine farm in the Breede River Valley and attended Stellenbosch University where studied oenology and viticulture after obtaining a BSc in microbiology. Before returning to South Africa, De Wet worked for two vintages at Kendall-Jacksons La Crema cellar in California.

Jacobus van Zyl

Assistant Winemaker

Neethlingshof Wine Estate

Van Zyl graduated with a BSc in Agriculture (Viticulture and Oenology) from the University of Stellenbosch in 2012, following a passion for farming, and wine in particular, that began in his childhood.

Josef Dreyer

Winemaker

Raka Wines

+27.283410676

I grew up on our family farm in the Overberg where we farmed soft citrus and livestock. During 1999, when I was 15, I helped to establish the first vineyards on the farm, and had to take my turn watering them. I was at boarding school during the first harvest, but came home as often as I could, and was there with our first bottling of wine in 2002.

Niel Bester

Cellarmaster

Plaisir De Merle

+27.218741071

Niel Bester - Cellarmaster Plaisir de Merle. As the first and only winemaker at Plaisir de Merle, Niel Bester has set a difficult precedent for future winemakers to follow.

Kobus Basson

Managing Director & Owner

Kleine Zalze Wines

+27.218800717
+27.836291733

In 2013 Kobus Basson became the sole owner of Kleine Zalze and to this day he is actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business in his role as Managing Director of Kleine Zalze.

Ilse Ruthford

Managing Director

Compagniesdrift

+27.21.8433902

Ilse Anne Ruthford was born and bred in Pniel, a small village between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, matriculating at Bloemhof Girl’s High in 1994.

Pieter Badenhorst

Winemaker: Red Wines

Fleur du Cap at Die Bergkelder

+27.218097000

Pieter Badenhorst is the winemaker of white wines at Die Bergkelder for the prestigious Fleur du Cap range of wines. Commanding the white wine team, this passionate winemaker’s responsibilities include the production and the management and control of barrel maturation for the premier Unfiltered as well as the regular range.

David Nieuwoudt

Owner and winemaker

Cederberg Cellar

+27.274822827

In October 2005 the phone rang: David had been invited to become a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, the 37th member since the Guild’s inception in 1982. What a rare honour this is for a winemaker fighting the odds three hours north of South Africa’s wine hub!

Wilhelm Coetzee

Winemaker - Red Wine

Durbanville Hills Cellar

+27.215581300

Wilhelm Coetzee joined Durbanville Hills as red winemaker in 2008 and his passion and talent for winemaking are evident in the awards his wines have since garnered at international competitions.

Alastair Rimmer

Head Winemaker

Kleine Zalze Wines

+27.218800717

Internationally experienced cellarmaster, brings with him a wealth of experience having worked in both big commercial wineries as well as super premium boutique producers in South Africa and abroad.”

Kobus Gerber

Winemaker - White

Durbanville Hills Cellar

+27.215581300

“I am a winemaker who believes good wine is made in the vineyard with minimal human intervention. I sincerely believe South Africa offers high quality wines to palates around the globe. My goal is to make an iconic South African white wine.”

Christiaan Campbell

Executive Chef

Boschendal Estate

+27.218704206

Christiaan is a shining light in farm-to-table eating in South Africa and cooking with ethically sourced produce that is local, seasonal and sustainable is central to his philosophy.

RJ Botha

Cellar Master

Kleine Zalze Wines

+27.218800717

Although initially not from a winemaking background, RJ was always intrigued by the science of winemaking and thus studied BSc. Agric Viticulture and Oenology at the university of Stellenbosch.