"In Jessica Swan’s third year at university, her class was assigned a group project to make beer. Her group’s Oktoberfest Lager came second. Ironically, that’s when the wine bug bit.
In her third year of microbiology at Rhodes University, Jessica Swan’s supervisor told her she was too much of a hippie to do cell biology and should explore beverages. Initially, Jessica (27) was shocked by the advice, but once she switched focus to wine, she wanted to know everything about how it’s made, from the soil to the barrel and finally to the glass. After completing her degree, she earned a master’s in Italian food and wine at Università degli Studi di Padova in Italy. She was hooked for life.
After completing her studies, Jessica became a cellar tour guide at Tenuta Adamo Winery in Lucca, Tuscany, where she was also involved in maintenance and harvesting in the fields, olive groves, and cellar. She also teached a new course at the international educational institution Istituto Lorenzo de Medici, Florence Bites: Understanding a City Through Food. She also graduated as a WSET3 sommelier from BWine School in Florence."
- WineLand Magazine, 2024
In 2024, Jessica made WineLand Media's 30 Under 30 list – a list of 30 young professionals recognised for their contributions to the South African wine industry.