Written by MarriedTwoWine
The Winelands has been my second home for the past 20 years. I am deliberately omitting the word industry as it is so much more nuanced and emotionally charged than the production of other beverages. I like to call wine a cultural elixer as it is an illustration of a shifting paradigm.
With something as old as wine, it is a beacon reflecting the advancement of civilization, woven into a country’s economic and social fabric. Therefore, the growth of this industry and all its progressive implementations should be systemic, relevant, diverse, cohesive, and all-inclusive to maintain its integrity throughout this process.
After all, it is an industry that changes as people and technology change. At the heart of this lies the importance of empowering our communities with the needed opportunities and skills to help build and further this enterprise for future generations.
It has been an absolute pleasure and honour to get involved with the Cape Winemakers Guild since 2020, assisting them in communicating the brand and everything it is doing to implement diversity. The CWG was formed in 1982, an association of some of South Africa’s finest winemakers with 46 members who jointly represent the pinnacle of South African wine achievements.
Along with my own wine career, I have been fortunate to learn more about these remarkable winemakers through personal interviews, technical tastings, and following their craft through the annual CWG Auction. This includes learning more about their skills development Protégé Programme, which was launched in 2006.
While working as the wine editor for Media24, I was always excited to share the news of young talent being offered the opportunity to pursue a career that would otherwise not have been possible. Today, 24 Protégés have participated in the Programme, including the lovely Praisy Dlamini, who has grown into this powerhouse of a woman; Kiara Scott, who exudes this confidence when speaking about wine and Banele Vakele, who has just launched his own brand.
Getting to know the Protégés
Knowing about the work that the CWG has been doing with this three-year internship and mentoring Programme is one thing; getting to know the Protégés a bit better makes this initiative palpable.
Meeting the first-year Protégés at the start of their journey this year, and catching up with them after harvest, reaffirmed the value of this Programme. Anda Ntlontlo is from the Eastern Cape and currently resides in Khayelitsha, making Savage Wines in town an excellent fit for his first-year internship.
“Never give up,” Anda believes, “and Duncan Savage as my mentor taught me to pay attention to detail. Wine unites all of us. It brings out the best of South Africa.”
Curiosity led Kaylin Willscott to winemaking, and she is grateful for all the support she is receiving in her first year working at Spier.
“The past six months reinforced it for me that I do belong here. It is essential to believe as much in yourself as others do.”
Coming from a small missionary town called Zoar, Terry-Ann Klink‘s big dreams took her from molecular science to winemaking.
“My first year at Simonsig helped me develop self-confidence. If you buy wine at the Protégé Programme, know that you are buying into the biggest, the oldest, and most beautiful culture in South Africa.”
Gina Viola is the only viticultural protégé among the second years and is intrigued by nature.
“This Programme opened a big door, and each day has the potential to be a learning day. The Programme gives us a chance to be heard, seen, and validated.”
The third-year Protégés has noticeably become role models, knowing where they are going but staying on the learning path to become the best versions of themselves. Candice Barnes started out studying psychology before finding her way to winemaking.
“The wine industry is this big family where knowledge and generational skills are passed down. Everyone backs you, and they are all positive about your future.”
Michael Topkin, also a third-year Protégés concurs that the wine industry offers a supportive environment. “You need to be a patient and strong-minded individual to adapt to the changes of the terroir and the climate.
Banele Vakele grew up in Khayelitsha, and as a graduated Protégés have his own brand Tembela Wines.
“I have learned to adapt to change and that it is much more challenging and exciting to take the road less travelled, hence making a Verdelho.”
He believes that the Programme is pioneering in empowering people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to start their own businesses.
“You need to be in the real value chain. Otherwise, you are not changing anything. My wine is on the auction because the guild believed in me.”
Victoria Davis
Thabile Cele
Roger Cloete
Banele
Kelsey Shungking
Anique Ceronio
Kyle Davids
Lucrecia Africa
Michael Topkin
Candice Barnes
Terry-Anne Klink
Kaylin Willscott
Anda Ntlontlo
2021 CWG Protégé Programme Auction starts 4 June
In less than a month, there is an exciting opportunity to help support the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme when 75 lots of wine and experiences, donated by the members of the CWG and past Protégés, will go under the hammer.
The 2021 CWG Protégé Programme Auction in June will be the first of two charity Auctions to precede the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction in October this year. The Programme is funded by CWG charity auctions and generous donations from outside organizations.
International auction house Bonhams will host the Auction, and it will be held online at www.Bonhams.com from Friday, 4 June 2021 until it closes at 16:00 Monday 21 June (London time). Registration opens on 4 June 2021. Please refer to the end of this press release for more details about the bidding process.
Buying wine on this Auction is not merely an act of purchasing a product. By participating in this Auction, bidders will be contributing towards a programme that nurtures young talent and enriches the lives of individuals that ordinarily would not have had the opportunity. Buyers will also be supporting the future of the South African wine industry.
Star attractions of the Auction comprise unique collections of magnums, regions, cultivars, styles, and verticals of some stalwart producers. Rare wines from previous CWG Auctions, which are hard to come by, including the showstopping-lot comprising a wine from each of the 43 CWG members, will have bidders on the edge of their seats. Look out for the collections made by graduated Protégés, who now have their own brands and have donated their own wines for the Auction as a way of giving back and supporting future Protégés. Other than signed bottles of wines, lunches, dinners, accommodation, also goes under the hammer.
No one could anticipate the past two years’ events, and looking back, it is only with gratitude and a new sense of optimism that we look ahead. More than just a showcase of what South Africa does best, the 2021 Protégé Programme Auction celebrates the fierce desire to feel, survive and succeed, no matter how challenging the circumstances can be. A pandemic reinforced our sense of community, which is why some of the lots are named to celebrate the qualities we should aspire to. Wine in itself is alive and created as bottled memories, carrying the essence of these values.
We encourage everyone who is following the Protégé Auction social media campaign, including avid bidders, to use the hashtags #BuyForTheFuture and #ProtegeProgramme and help generate positive communication about the future talent in South African wine.
Visit the Cape Winemakers Guild website for more information about the Protégé Programme. If you are interested in participating in the Charity Auction, sign up for a Bidder’s Account with Bonhams.
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