\u201cThe Cape Winemakers Guild is passionate about transforming our industry through cultivating and nurturing young winemakers of excellence. This is an ongoing process that needs to be supported by the wine industry. After ten years of the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme we can look back at our success and say a job well done. This is, however, only a start and it is wonderful to see the support from our winemakers and our sector as a whole to change our industry today for tomorrow,\u201d says Louis Strydom, chairman of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Nedbank has supported the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme from the onset: \u201cSkills development forms part of Nedbank\u2019s key strategic pillar as we believe that it plays a critical role in the socio-economic transformation of our country. It is against this backdrop that we continue to embark on this up-skilling journey designed to afford young individuals an opportunity to not only be exposed to the wine industry but to also acquire skills that will allow them to be key players in this sector,\u201d explains Lindiwe Temba, Executive Head for Corporate Social Responsibility at Nedbank.<\/p>\n
Whilst the bulk of the funds for the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme are raised by the members\u2019 various charity auctions, other sponsors include Amorim Cork, the Cape Cooperage Group, African Cellar Suppliers, Vinpro, Consol Glass, Hofmeyr Mills Auctioneers, Francois Naude, Cape Wine Auction and the Hermanus Music Society.<\/p>\n
![\"young](\"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/young-winemakers-1000x1-1000x560.jpg\")
From left: Banele Vakele, Logan Jooste, Clayton Christiaans, Sydney Mello, Rose Kruger, Kiara Scott, Maryna Huysamen, Mahalia Kotjane<\/p><\/div>\n
The Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme started out as a four year skills development initiative for oenology graduates, but was changed to a three year internship in 2009. In 2014 the programme was extended to give cellar workers access to formal training and education through a partnership between the Cape Winemakers Guild and Wine Training South Africa (WTSA). 2015 saw further expansion of the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme into the vineyards, with the enrolment of the first viticulture prot\u00e9g\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Over the span of the internship, each prot\u00e9g\u00e9 is assigned to work alongside one of the members of the Guild for a one year period. During this year they are given first-hand experience of the inner workings of the cellar. During the course of their internship, every prot\u00e9g\u00e9 is mentored by three members of the Guild. Over and above working in some of the most acclaimed cellars in South Africa, prot\u00e9g\u00e9s are given ample opportunity to enrich their winemaking experience even further – from annual exchange programmes to some of the world\u2019s famous wine regions, to being judges at various wine competitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the three year period, the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9s have the opportunity to develop their skills while being exposed to different terroirs and styles of wine. This gives them invaluable experience and a firm foundation upon which to build their careers,\u201d adds Strydom.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Making their own wine is a requirement in their second year and enables the prot\u00e9g\u00e9s to give back to the industry when the wines are auctioned at gala dinners and at the silent auction at the annual Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction. All funds raised by the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 wines are ploughed back into the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme, thereby completing the circle of supporting the development of future winemakers and viticulturists. The 2016 Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction takes place at Spier in Stellenbosch on 1 October.<\/p>\n
For more information on the Guild, call 021 852 0408 or send an email to\u00a0info@capewinemakersguild.com. Oenology and Viticulture students interested in applying for the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme can visit the Guild\u2019s website<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
More about the prot\u00e9g\u00e9s currently enrolled in the programme:<\/b><\/p>\n
Third year prot\u00e9g\u00e9<\/b><\/p>\n
Rose Kruger<\/b><\/p>\n
Rose is spending her final year in the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme under the watchful eye of Abrie Beeslaar at Kanonkop in Stellenbosch. She believes that she has gained a tremendous amount of valuable knowledge and skills during her internship. Earlier this year she passed the 2016 Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy exam.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have learned to have pride in everything I do. After all our hard work, dedication and hours devoted to making wine, we get to see the fruits of our labour and how it blossomed,\u201d explains Rose, who grew up in Drakenstein.<\/p>\n
Wine enthusiasts can look forward to purchasing Rose\u2019s Nevin Shiraz, named in honour of her father, at the auction week gala dinners and at the silent auction at the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction that takes place in Stellenbosch on 1 October this year.<\/p>\n
Second year prot\u00e9g\u00e9s<\/b><\/p>\n
Kiara Scott<\/b><\/p>\n
With the guidance of her mentor, Charles Hopkins, Kiara crafted her own Shiraz earlier this year. Other highlights include presenting cellar tours and being an associate judge at the 2016 SA Shiraz Challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy hopes and aspirations going forward are to grow as a person as well as a winemaker. I want to strive for pure wines that express terroir and honest winemaking practices,\u201d says Kiara who stems from Mitchell\u2019s Plain.<\/p>\n
Mahalia Kotjane<\/b><\/p>\n
Mahalia is spending her second year with Carl Schultz at Hartenberg Estate, where she has crafted a Shiraz as her prot\u00e9g\u00e9 wine.<\/p>\n
\u201cCarl Schultz has played an important role in the making of my wine. He challenged me to explore and has inspired me beyond measure. I can always count on his guidance, knowledge and experience,\u201d explains Mahalia, who moved to the winelands from Vosloorus in the East Rand.<\/p>\n
Clayton Christians<\/b><\/p>\n
Clayton is grateful to his mentor, Rianie Strydom of Haskell Vineyards, for teaching him wine lessons that he can forever build on as he progresses in the future. Her guidance also helped to shape his own Chardonnay.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope my journey in the wine industry will be long and fruitful. I would love to establish a brand of my own,\u201d muses Clayton, born and bred in Cloetesville, Stellenbosch.<\/p>\n
Logan Jooste<\/b><\/p>\n
In 2015, Logan enrolled as the first viticulture prot\u00e9g\u00e9. His second year in the programme was spent at De Grendel under the guidance of Charles Hopkins \u2013 recently he joined Graham Beck Wines in Robertson for his final year. Logan was fortunate enough to broaden his knowledge working with different cultivars and trellising systems this year.<\/p>\n
Born and raised in Kylemore, Stellenbosch, Logan has always had a keen interest in nature which is evident not only in his academic career but also in his love of gardening. \u201cI like working with plants because it\u2019s all about patience. Mother Nature does most of the work and we wait while she creates life,\u201d says Logan.<\/p>\n
First year prot\u00e9g\u00e9s<\/b><\/p>\n
Banele Vakele<\/b><\/p>\n
Banele, under the mentorship of Louis Strydom at Ernie Els Wines, is determined to learn all that he can during his time as a prot\u00e9g\u00e9.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe the contacts and the experience that I will gain from the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme will give me enough strength to venture out and start making my own wine,\u201d says Banele who was raised in Khayelitsha.<\/p>\n
Sydney Mello<\/b><\/p>\n
For Sydney, who is mentored by Neil Ellis, making wine is a rare opportunity to create something unique.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a winemaker you get to impart a piece of yourself into the wine. It becomes a reflection of you as a person and is a very personal process, given all the blood, sweat and tears including the long hours we put in as winemakers,\u201d explains Sydney, who hails from Mahwelereng in Limpopo.<\/p>\n
Maryna Huysamen<\/b><\/p>\n
This aspirant winemaker is spending her first year at Cederberg Cellars as part of the team headed by David Nieuwoudt. She has an absolute passion for making wine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love nature and have always known that I want to pursue a career in this field,\u201d explains Maryna, who grew up in Vredendal.<\/p>\n
capewinemakersguild.com\/protege-programme<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Cape Winemakers Guild Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Programme, a trailblazer for transformation in the wine industry by mentoring and empowering aspirant winemakers and viticulturists, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Driven by a single minded vision to bring about transformation in the wine industry, the mentorship programme was founded in 2006 with the first prot\u00e9g\u00e9 recruited in 2007. Over the past 10 years, a total of 20 talented prot\u00e9g\u00e9s have come through the ranks, honing their skills while enjoying the rare opportunity […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4098],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"acf":[],"brand_slug":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30073\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test10.co.za\/C\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}