Pieter Badenhorst

Pieter Badenhorst, Nederburg’s white-winemaker, grew up in the scenic Boland town of Tulbagh, surrounded by majestic mountains and fertile valleys boasting pristine vineyards.

This is where his interest in wine was piqued - trying to fathom, from an early age, how it’s possible that a microscopic living yeast cell can turn grape juice into wine. It was this scientific occurrence, coupled with the chance to create something tangible, something a little magical and adored worldwide, that fascinated him to the point of pursuing a career in winemaking.

So, after matriculating in 1998, he enrolled for a four-year Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Stellenbosch, specialising in oenology and viticulture. Straight after graduating, he was appointed as Nederburg’s assistant white-winemaker, working under the guidance of cellar-master at the time, Razvan Macici, a gifted winemaker whom Pieter still admires to this day for his contagious passion for wine.

“It was also during this time that I had the pleasure of meeting and working with another immensely talented winemaker, Andrea Freeborough, who now heads up winemaking at Distell, Nederburg’s parent company,” he explains.

In 2019, Pieter’s journey in winemaking came full circle when he returned to Nederburg to head up the white-winemaking team, after more than a decade as winemaker for Fleur du Cap, another of Distell’s prestigious wine brands. In between, he managed to squeeze in some harvest seasons in Germany and France, equipping him with valuable experience and a chance to further hone his winemaking skill.