Three times a lady

The South African wine industry is brimming with talented women, and here are three of them who deserve a loud shout-out! These women excel in different wine regions with different wine styles, and each shares a unique story through their wines.

KIARA SCOTT

makes wine against the dramatic backdrop of the Klein Drakenstein mountains in Paarl, where Brookdale Estate awaits you like a luxurious oasis. The Rudd family created a world-class destination on this 67-hectare estate in 2015, now planted with vines and olive trees. The Brookdale Manor House is available as an exclusive-use luxury villa rental, sleeping up to 12 guests, and a tasting room and restaurant are being built. On the back of their uber-successful Chenin Blanc (Trophy Winner for the Best Old Vine Wine at the Investec Trophy Wine Show) and visionary field blends awaiting in the future, we salute their talented winemakers with a glass of their Mason Road Serendipity Rosé! This blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault produced a pale pink colour with a brilliance that will hold the attention of any wine lover seeking a characterful rose. 

After graduating from Elsenburg Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute in Viticulture and Oenology, Kiara was selected for the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme, a three-year mentoring programme where she worked under members of the Cape Winemakers Guild. Brookdale’s consulting winemaker, also a member of the Guild, Duncan Savage, appointed Kiara as his assistant winemaker. Together, they created the maiden vintage of the Brookdale Chenin Blanc in 2017. In 2019 she became the youngest head female winemaker in South Africa at the age of just 26.

RIANIE STRYDOM

is a rock star! She might humbly claim that the name of her Strydom Rock Star 2021 Syrah pays homage to the soil, but she is also a force to be reckoned with. After ten years as winemaker at Morgenhof Estate, Rianie Strydom furthered her craft at Haskell Vineyards. We fell in love with her classic approach to making elegant Chardonnay and intriguing red wines. Her relentless quest for classism and quality earned her a seat as a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, one of only a handful of women represented here.

Our most recent visit to taste her wines was at her Stellenbosch home, where she is now steering her own ship and family business, Strydom Family Wines. The farm setting suits her authentic winemaking approach, and her hand is also seen in the beautiful wooden tables she created as lockdown projects. Her small batch artisanal wines include an ethereal Syrah that we are raising to her trajectory of success and an anticipated red blend to be featured at the 2022 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction later this year. Hear hear!

CORLEA FOURIE

is this eloquent woman who produces wines with equal grace. She is innovative, creative and resourceful yet always praises those working by her side. 

Bosman Family Vineyards in Wellington is where she has been working at her craft for as long as we have been enjoying her wine. Bosman Adama is also the leading nursery for vine rootstocks in South Africa, allowing her to explore the lesser-known varietals or try her hand at more experimental wines. And she does this with power and elegance woven into the wines. One of these wines is the Scicialn grape, Nero D’Avola, which thrives in the hot Wellington. And as harsh as the environment may be, so delicate is this wine, wrapped in a veil of blue florals with a mouthwatering palate of plum and mulberry dusted with spice. And then, that gentle nudge of tannin adds a solid yet supple structure. Corlea is as authentic as the wine and the place it is made. Please raise a glass to these fabulous women wine warriors!

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