How many have a clear idea of their career path after school? A career that’s going to carry and grow them through life. While many remain resolute and are lucky enough to have chosen the right career, there are others who vacillate, starting one course or job, only to find it wasn’t for them after all.
It’s my experience one shouldn’t fret over a wrong path early in life, it will have been a good learning experience and with a bit more maturity, it’s possible to start afresh successfully. I can attest to that, after my delayed involvement with wine.
A WhatsApp discussion on this topic with wine friends made it clear this isn’t such an uncommon occurrence among winemakers; both Fanie Geyser and Colmant’s Paul Gerber revealed they had taught maths prior to winemaking. This triggered the idea for an exploration of what winemakers did do before wine came into their lives.
Ginny Povall owner of Botanica Wines, Edmund Terblanche winemaker at La Motte, Luca and Ingrid Bein of the eponymous winery, Fanie Geyser of Landskroon and Gyles Webb, founder of Thelema, all had other careers before finding another life in wine. They are not alone.
Those first jobs, what triggered the change to wine, did they then have doubts and difficulties and, most important, what has being involved with wine given them?
Each has an interesting story to tell in response to these questions.
American, Ginny Povall, took the biggest leap, literally, when she moved to the Cape after a career spanning 32 years in an Employee Benefit Consulting firm in New York City. Sale of the firm allowed her to think about a change and the resources to buy a farm, a decision made after visiting South Africa. Courses on vineyard management, marketing and winemaking at UC Davis laid the groundwork for what has become a successful second career. It’s not been without doubts along the way. Persuading the 38 people on the farm that the houses she built for them were theirs at no cost posed one difficulty. In the end, Ginny believes the great people in the industry are always willing to help, which makes it all worthwhile.
Luca and Ingrid Bein’s arrival in the Cape from Switzerland coincided with their honeymoon. An internship in their 20-year profession as vets was followed by three months travelling around the whole country. ‘It was wonderful!’ So wonderful, that a few visits later this wine-loving couple bought land on the Polkadraai Hills with the intention of building a holiday home, surrounded by their own 2.5ha vineyard.
The Beins recall the house worked wonderfully, the vineyard not at all. ‘Thanks to the ‘Mandela effect’ in the 1990s, the industry boomed and no one had time for our vineyard.’ Decisions had to be made.
Fortunately wine won; South Africa became their permanent home in 1999. Bravely – they were close to 50 at the time – they enrolled at Stellenbosch University, graduating in 2002 with a BSc in Viticulture and Oenology ‘and a bunch of new friends!’ Until 2005, when they built their own cellar, space was rented.
Merlot has been their sole focus; six, including a Cap Classique make up the range. A good 20 years have passed since then; ‘We are still living happily on our small wine farm in Stellenbosch.’
Edmund Terblanche admits his original intention was to become a winemaker but the offer of a bursary to study Parks and Recreation Management with a commitment to work, persuaded him to change courses at Stellenbosch University. His job as Assistant Head of Parks at Benoni City Council proved temporary. ‘I didn’t like the job and missed the Cape but I had to get the funds to study again; performing part-time as a one-man band helped!’
Edmund finished his studies at Elsenberg, where his main worry was the academic challenge to be among the ten students in the final year. Success left him ‘feeling 10 years younger with less money but more freedom!’ This year, Edmund celebrates 24 years as La Motte’s winemaker. ‘Making and enjoying wine is a full-time hobby, it’s allowed me to see much of the world and to meet great people.’
Fanie Geyser’s journey in wine has been more of a stop-start affair. He loved maths at school, subsequently securing a Cape Educational Department bursary to do a B.Sc majoring in Mathematics and Psychology. It was in residence he met Boela Gerber, former Groot Constantia winemaker, Jan Momberg of Middelvlei and Johan Linde of Botha Cellar.
The winemaker influence took time to infiltrate. A year in the USA was followed by a teaching post in the Eastern Cape. Many visits to Boela, then at Stellenzicht, saw the wine bug bite. Still, a post in the Northern Free State came before Fanie applied for and secured a bursary to study Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch. He was happy to see he wasn’t the only mature student; the Beins were there at the same time. ‘The main difficulty was getting the grey matter to work again!’
A few years at Landskroon were followed by farming in the Klein Karoo, where he was also a director of Calitzdorp Cellar. The realisation that he really missed being actively involved in making wine came when the cellar’s winemaker left and he took over.
Fanie’s return to Landskroon arrived by chance when he saw an advert for a post; his application was successful. ‘Exactly 19 years after my first day at Landskroon, I again had the privilege to be their winemaker.’ The innovative, creative thinking it involves accounts for his ongoing enjoyment in wine.
What is it about winemakers and figures? Thank goodness wine rather than accountancy won for Gyles Webb, founder of Thelema Mountain Vineyards.
A B.Comm at Natal University in the 1970s led to a qualification as a Chartered Accountant, something he admits didn’t particularly interest him; an introduction to white Burgundy immediately did and he lost no time in signing up for a B.Sc in Oenology and Viticulture at Stellenbosch University. Not the easiest of times, as he and Barbara had one child with Thomas on the way.
Work experience was gained with Duimpie Bayly at Stellenbosch Farmers Winery, four months at Heitz Cellars in Napa and Neethlingshof before the search for their own place began.
Thelema, ‘A run-down fruit farm with poor housing’ was purchased in 1983 with help from Barbara’s family. It was unknown whether the majority of the property was suitable for vines; neighbours thought the Webbs were crazy to think of vineyards in a recognised plum area (I can confirm those plums were delicious!) and good vineyard material was difficult to source. So many difficulties but, as Gyles says, ‘We got by.’
The first vines were planted in 1984, the first wines made in their own cellar in 1988. Today, there are 50 ha of vines on Thelema and 43 ha on their Sutherland, Elgin property, purchased in 2002.
This is no small achievement given the early uncertainties. Forty years on, Gyles is delighted to confirm; ‘We have absolutely no regrets about getting into the wine business; we’ve met wonderful people both here and abroad and we’re very happy to be part of the international wine fraternity.’
What other careers have lost, South African wine has surely gained.
Out of the Press 