My career started with a BScAgric degree in Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University. After graduating, I started as an assistant winemaker at Constantia Glen in 2015, where I worked closely with Beau Constantia's incredible pocket of terroir against the upper reaches of the Constantiaberg. In the years to come, I spent my time chasing the sun around the world, which led me to both Paso Robles, California, and the Rhone's Chateauneuf du Pape, returning for the South African vintage each year. Seven vintages in four years later, I started working as the winemaker and viticulturist at Beau Constantia in May 2019.
Then, in an attempt to understand “why the wine industry works” as opposed to “how it works”, I went on to graduate cum laude from the UCT’s Graduate School of Business' The Business of Wine course in 2019.
My travels to the US and France not only allowed me to soak up as much knowledge and experience as I could in the shortest timeframe possible, but made me realize just how incredibly lucky I am to call South Africa home. Our country is loaded with potential, and our industry is slowly transforming from orderly winemaking in black and white to a creative new world wave that is bursting at the seams with colour.
With the breakdown of political barriers, ease of access to information, wine buyers developing more sophisticated palates and purchasing habits, and a big shift towards planting the right varieties, we have seen increased appreciation for our wines on both the local and global stage. With the entry of a new generation of decision makers, the South African wine industry is experiencing one of its most exciting phases in history, and I cannot express how vital it is for us to keep young minds at the center of change in order to keep the momentum.
Our industry as a collective employs nearly 300 000 people throughout its value chain and contributed R55 billion to the GDP in the 2019 calendar year. We therefore have the social responsibility to ensure our industry's sustainability, so let's come up with some fresh ideas.