Jamie Papenfus

Winemaker
Waterford Estate
Jamie Papenfus is a winemaker, nature lover, wife and mother. She has been the assistant winemaker at Waterford Wine Estate since 2016.

"Because of my love for the outdoors, I always knew that I wanted to do a job that's more outdoorsy and not office-based. I wanted a job that's hands-on and combines nature and chemistry.

I studied winemaking at Stellenbosch University. After I graduated, I didn't know what to do. So, I drove to Robertson and I handed out my CV at about ten different wine farms. I was lucky enough to get a job at De Wetshof and I worked there for two years. It was amazing."

At Waterford, Jamie works alongside cellarmaster Mark Le Roux. "We work well together," says Jamie. "Mark is a wise winemaker. He has a lot of knowledge and he loves to teach people. I learn a lot from him."