Jacobus 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.
He was raised on a farm in Rawsonville. “One of my favourite times was breakfast on the tractor during harvest with my dad; his sweet coffee and delicious scrambled egg sandwiches with tomato sauce. The tractors were loaded with grapes and I watched them off-load into the tanks. The smell of fermentation in the cellar was one I learnt to love back then.
He says wine was always part of his childhood home. “From a young age we were exposed to the culture of wine and how to enjoy it. The bug bit me and I never wanted to do anything else.”
Jacobus was appointed as assistant winemaker at Jordan Wine Estate in August 2020. He previously worked at Neethlingshof, Rust en Vrede, and other wineries in the regions of Franschhoek, Wellington, and Rawsonville. He has also spent some time working abroad, having assisted with harvests in Bordeaux in France and Napa Valley in California.
In 2024, Jacobus placed in the Top 10 of the inaugural Fedex Next Generation Awards, convened by Winemag.co.za. He won this award for the Jordan The Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, which scored a remarkable 94 points.