At only 21, Karla Nel has already started carving a path for herself in the South African wine industry. After matric, she opted to take a gap year instead of pursuing her initial plan to do a sports science degree. “Growing up I was always surrounded by wine and its people, but never realised the influence it would have later in my life,” she says.
In 2022, she joined Ernie Els Wines as a tasting room assistant and was introduced to the complexities of winemaking by Louis and Rianie Strydom. Her fascination for wine was kindled, setting her on a path she’d never anticipated.
In 2023, she joined the Stellenbosch University Wine Culture Society (USWCS) and became a committee member tasked with marketing and media responsibilities. She’s played a pivotal role in the society’s exponential growth, which now boasts over 600 members.
This then led to her taking up the position of tasting room assistant at Stellenbosch Reserve in October 2023. She was promoted to head tasting room assistant a few months later. In July 2024, she was appointed as the marketing and sales assistant at Rust en Vrede.
She holds a BA degree in Design and Visual Communications from Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography and she is currently studying part-time for a higher certificate in marketing at the IMM Graduate School.
In 2024, Karla made WineLand Media's 30 Under 30 list – a list of 30 young professionals recognised for their contributions to the South African wine industry.