Since its inception in 2006, the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme has established itself as South Africa’s most successful skills development initiative in the wine industry. Part of its success lies in the fact that potential protégés have access to an established support structure even before entering the programme.
For first-year protégés Lulo Bulo and Nompumelelo Mosaka, this journey began in 2019 when they participated in the Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust’s inaugural Learner Programme. This annual four-day educational trip to the winelands, held during the June school holidays, aims to introduce black female Grade 11 learners to viticulture and oenology as potential university degrees and winemaking as a career path. Selection criteria included a keen interest in biological science and consistently above-average marks in mathematics and physical sciences.
Originally aspiring to careers in health sciences, Bulo and Mosaka were captivated by the magic of winemaking during their educational visit to the winelands. Bulo, then enrolled in the SciMathUS bridging course, recalls attending a dinner with Cape Winemakers Guild Protégés. “The South African agricultural industry can seem very male-dominated and white, but these protégés showed us that people of colour and women—anyone interested—would be welcomed with open arms,” she says.
Mosaka, a Grade 12 learner provisionally accepted at the University of Witwatersrand, had a similar transformative experience. The enthusiasm of the winemakers and protégés sparked her interest in the industry. “The multidimensionality of it captured my interest,” she says. “In the wine industry, you play many roles, which is very stimulating.”
Five years later, Bulo and Mosaka hold degrees in Viticulture and Oenology from Stellenbosch University and have been accepted into the sought-after Protégé Programme. They are spending their first years under the mentorship of Cape Winemakers Guild members Warren Ellis (Neil Ellis Wines) and Carl Schultz (Hartenberg Wine Estate).
While completing their degrees, both utilized the Buddy Programme, another initiative of the Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust, to connect with Protégés and gain real-world insights into winemaking. This access to ‘buddies’ also familiarized them with the Protégé Programme.
Their first harvests as Protégés have been unparalleled learning opportunities. Bulo, at Neil Ellis Wines, found the red wine-making process challenging but supportive. “The team was so supportive and made an effort to help me understand every step,” she says. Mosaka had a similar experience at Hartenberg, where the small harvest allowed her to process everything in real-time. “Hartenberg has sparked a passion and hunger to keep learning about wine,” she says.
Both young women have big career aspirations that include international travel, further study, and finding their own unique expression as winemakers. They also have an altruistic desire to give back to the industry. Bulo hopes to help the South African wine industry grow and expand into new markets, while Mosaka aims to learn about diverse wine cultures and bring innovative techniques back to the local industry.
Magda Vorster, Protégé Programme facilitator, says, “Breaking barriers, one sip at a time, the Cape Winemakers Guild is working to empower young black women to dream big in the world of winemaking, fostering a future of transformation and possibility.”
