Cathy van Zyl MW

A B.Comm graduate from the University of Witwatersrand, Cathy’s first ‘real’ job was writing press releases for banks, units trusts and auditing firms having been hired because her then-boss was adamant she’d “rather teach someone who understands finance to write than teach someone who knows how to write about finance''

A B.Comm graduate from the University of Witwatersrand, Cathy’s first ‘real’ job was writing press releases for banks, unit trusts and auditing firms having been hired because her then-boss was adamant she’d “rather teach someone who understands finance to write than teach someone who knows how to write about finance”.

Discovering she was good at the writing part, and enjoyed it, she then spent several years as a journalist and editor in the trade publication sector before starting her own small public relations consultancy in 1989.

Her wine journey began on a bicycle when she asked her husband to ride the country’s famed Argus Cycle Tour with her; he agreed but the quid pro quo was that she attend a wine course with him. She has since notched up over 21 Cycle Tours and gone on to become the first South African to successfully pass the Master of Wine examinations while living on the tip of Africa.

Cathy judges locally and internationally, is the ex-chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine’s education committee and currently a member of its Council, occasionally contributes to wine journals and web sites around the world, but spends most of her wine-time as the associate editor of Platter’s South African Wine Guide.