Meet Nondumiso…

'I taught for 13 years at a high school in Khayelitsha. With the democracy taking shape, opportunities began to emerge and things that were in obscurity came to light. 

I discovered wine which I had always despised.  Wine during apartheid was not an alcoholic beverage of choice , it was at the bottom of the social ladder.  In the media it was projected differently, with elegance, sophistication and deepened appreciation.  That grasped my attention.   The rest is history.'

Meet Janine…

j9Wine was founded by Janine Petersen in 2016 who turned her passion for wine into an iconic brand.

After having worked extensively with big names in the wine industry of South Africa, Janine used her experience and ventured into creating the j9Wine range. She sold her car and invested her life savings to get j9Wine off the ground.

Janine continued to develop her wine knowledge and is now a female winemaker . Sourcing grapes from across the coastal region and collaborating with some of the best winemakers in South Africa.

Meet Ilse…

Ilse Anne Ruthford was born and bred in Pniel, a small village between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, matriculating at Bloemhof Girl’s High in 1994.

She finished a diploma in Marketing, working in various fields within the Wine Industry since 1997, including 4 years in Exports. Involved since 2006 at Meerlust, she has been the Managing Director of Compagniesdrift since 2012.

“I am very grateful for this opportunity that has come my way, and 71 other farm workers, to become owners of a Company. It is my personal goal and heart’s desire to make Compagniesdrift successful on all levels and keep on uplifting as many workers as possible.”

Meet Vivian…

Vivian Kleynhans née Brutus entered the industry as a self-taught wine entrepreneur. Her vision was to one-day establish a business and legacy for generations to come.

People of colour were excluded from the wine industry until 1994, when South Africa became a democratic country. In 2009, the Brutus family acquired a piece of barren land to build their new home, own winery/tasting facility and the planting of wine grapes.

Now 13 years later, Vivian has developed the land, planting vines, building a tasting room and restaurant as well as an established wine production facility.

Meet Malmsey…

‘It was in 2003 that I decided to make the biggest change in my life where I moved from a secure professional life to wine production, a space completely unknown to me and my family, full of risks, uncertainty, and vertical learning curves.

And it was in that process amid many challenges and sometimes turbulence that I made a dream of my life come true.

Two years later the M’hudi Wine brand was born.’

Meet Libby…

Elizabeth started in the wine industry 19 years ago.

Elizabeth’s nickname is Libby and her star sign is Leo, which is how Libby’s Pride was born.

Libby’s mission is to enhance the quality of life through socio-economic empowerment.

She carries lots of passion for the wine industry, and with her determination wants to become the most successful Black Women Owned company.

Her mantra is to…

‘Never think your dream is beyond your reach!’