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Leaders in the Art of Winemaking
The Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) was established in 1982 by eight independent winemakers who shared a vision of creating premium South African wines that would receive benchmark recognition both locally and abroad.
Today, the 36 members of the Cape Winemakers Guild share that same vision and, through the exchange of knowledge and the evaluation of top wines from around the world, Guild members have established themselves as leaders in the art of winemaking.
To become a member, a winemaker has to be invited to join the Guild. Invitation to join the CWG follows a process of nomination (a potential member has to be nominated by an existing member) and voting at the Guild's annual general meeting.
Nominated winemakers must have been responsible for producing outstanding wines for a minimum of five years and must continue to do so. Those winemakers meeting these criteria and receiving a two-thirds majority vote at the AGM are invited to join the Guild.
The Guild is about winemakers, about their abilities, philosophies and achievements and their ongoing dedication to the production of quality wines. Should a Guild member leave one winery for another, he or she would retain their membership of the Guild provided they continue to be responsible for the production of outstanding wines.
As a means of promoting their wines, the members of the Guild held their first public Auction in 1985. Following its early success, the Auction, sponsored by Nedbank for the past ten years, has become a major annual event on the South African wine calendar.
Open to everyone, the Auction attracts local and international bidders, including wine enthusiasts, private collectors and bidders from the corporate, hospitality and trade sectors.
Wines sold at the Nedbank CWG Auction are exclusive. They are produced by the members in small quantities, especially for the Auction, and are not available anywhere else (unless when re-sold by auction buyers).
Auction wines undergo rigorous screening by the members of the Guild at a blind tasting, where the identity of wines being tasted is not revealed. Wines are selected for their technical excellence, premium quality and maturation potential. Wines that fail to meet the Guild's strict requirements are not accepted for the Auction.
In 1999, together with its Auction sponsor Nedbank, the Cape Winemakers Guild established the Nedbank CWG Development Trust. Assisting with the social, education and training needs of those living in the wine growing regions of South Africa, the Trust renders a worthwhile contribution towards the development and empowerment of previously disadvantaged communities.
The Development Trust supports the education of a number of promising young students who attend Hoër Landbouskool Boland near Paarl. This is an agricultural school offering boys between the ages of 14 and 18 a well-rounded education, based on the practical application of the agricultural sciences.
Joining forces with the University of Stellenbosch, the Trust also funds the salaries of two full-time community-based psychology interns who work within the Stellenbosch communities of Jamestown and Cloetesville. These interns provide counselling and support to those suffering from the many social problems related to poverty and alcohol abuse, and run life-skills programmes at the primary and high schools in these two areas.
The Trust also supports 'bricks and mortar' projects within its local farming communities.
The Nedbank CWG Development Trust is funded by donations as well as proceeds raised at various Guild events such as the Members' Charity and Silent Auctions which take place on the day of the Nedbank CWG Auction each year.
The Guild holds a number of exciting public events in the build up to its annual Auction. With the emphasis firmly placed on “meeting the winemaker”, Guild events are intimate, informal, and interactive.
The Members of the Cape Winemakers Guild
Kevin Grant - Ataraxia
Beyers Truter - Beyerskloof
Marc Kent - Boekenhoutskloof
Carel Nel - Boplaas
Peter Finlayson - Bouchard Finlayson
Christopher Keet - Cordoba
David Trafford - de Trafford
Louis Strydom - Engelbrecht Els
Etienne le Riche - Etienne le Riche Wines
Bruce Jack - Flagstone Winery
David Finlayson - Glen Carlou
Jeremy Walker - Grangehurst
Charles Hopkins - Graham Beck Coastal
Pieter Ferreira - Graham Beck Robertson
Carl Schultz - Hartenberg Estate
Anton Bredell - J.P. Bredell Wines
Gary Jordan - Jordan Winery
Jean Daneel - Jean Daneel Wines
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Danie Steytler - Kaapzicht
Francois Naudé - L'Avenir Estate
Philip Costandius - Lourensford Estate
Niels Verburg - Luddite
Neil Ellis ¬- Neil Ellis Wines
Bernhard Veller - Nitída
Nicky Versfeld - Omnia Wines
Braam van Velden - Overgaauw
Ross Gower - Ross Gower Wines
Teddy Hall - Rudera
Johan Malan - Simonsig
John Loubser - Steenberg
Gyles Webb - Thelema
André van Rensburg - Vergelegen
Jeff Grier - Villiera
Jan Coetzee - Vriesenhof
Norma Ratcliffe - Warwick Farm
Kevin Arnold - Waterford
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Issued on behalf of the Cape Winemakers Guild
Contact: Kate Jonker
Tel: (021) 883 8625
Fax: (021) 883 8626
Email: info@capewinemakersguild.com
Issued by Posy & Jeremy Hazell · PR & Wine Consultants
Contact: Posy Hazell
Tel (021) 851 1563
Email: posy@wine.co.za
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