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Cape Winemakers Guild selects 4 graduates to join its 2020 Protégé Programme
Four young viticulture and oenology graduates will be taking up an internship with some of South Africa's top winemakers, under the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme. Three of the new oenology protégés will spend the next three years under the mentorship of members of the Guild, while a viticultural protégé will be mentored through a two-and-a-half-year internship programme.
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Launched in 2007, the Protégé Programme has enrolled 34 Protégés, 24 of whom are now working in the South African wine industry.
The programme, funded by the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust, aims to cultivate the next generation of award-winning winemakers, as well as empower students while promoting transformation within the industry.
Each protégé is mentored by a different member of the Guild for a period of one year, allowing them to learn the science and art of winemaking and gain the first-hand experience of the inner workings of the cellar. This knowledge is put into practice when second-year protégés produce their own wines and travel to France to further enhance their winemaking experience.
The following students have been accepted into the 2020 Protégé Programme:
• Anique Ceronio, from Kuilsrivier, will be mentored by Abrie Beeslaar at Kanonkop,
• Kyle Davids, from Pniel, will be mentored by Warren Ellis at Neil Ellis Wines,
• Gina Viola, from Brackenfell, will be mentored by Frans Smit at Spier,
• Thabile Cele, from Winklespruit, will be mentored by Frans Smit at Spier.
Magda Vorster, protégé programme facilitator, says: "Choosing the right protégé for the programme is about more than just skills and academic results: We search for candidates that display leadership and interpersonal skills, a willingness to learn, the desire to become the best they can be, and above all, a deep passion for the winemaking process."
The viticulture protégés are also mentored by members of the Guild and receive practical training in the intricacies of cultivation techniques to ensure outstanding grape quality for different wine types and styles.
