Originally hailing from the UK, Cathy Marston has a wicked sense of humour and a no-nonsense approach to wine.
After completing her degree in English at Cambridge University, she joined Adnams Wine Merchants as their marketing manager. Believing that you need to know a product in order to sell it, they put her through all the Wine and Spirit Education Trust exams, culminating in Diploma.
She came to South Africa in 2001 and opened and ran The Nose Restaurant and Wine Bar with husband Kevin, selling it after seven successful years.
Cathy now concentrates on tasting, writing for local and international publications, and, increasingly, educating people about wine.
Cathy is a formidable wine educator with a global reach and influence. She is the co-owner and head lecturer at the International Wine Education Centre (IWEC) based in Cape Town, the largest provider of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Africa and the Middle East. The IWEC is also the only provider of the flagship Level 4 Diploma on the continent.
(WSET qualifications are the industry standard in 80 countries around the world. If you want more details of these internationally-recognised wine and spirit courses, go to thewinecentre.co.za.)
She has made great efforts in promoting diversity and inclusivity within the South African wine industry and breaking down socio-economic barriers, and her unwavering passion for wine education and invaluable contributions to the wine industry continue to elevate the appreciation and understanding of South African wine locally and internationally.
In 2024, Cathy Marston received the Wine Advancement Award at the SA Wine Harvest Commemorative Event for her contributions to the South African wine industry. In 2026, she received the WSET's 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award, recognising an exceptional contribution to creating positive change within the global drinks community.