He was announced as the winner of the South African
Cellar Worker Programme at an information day for cellar workers on 30 October
2015. The day was sponsored by Nedbank Business Banking and formed part of the
Agri Cape Week agricultural expo in Worcester.
“I am very excited and proud to be named the winner, especially as this
is the first wine course I have completed,” says Fielies, who has worked at
Windfall for the last eight years. He received a cash prize of R10 000 and the
Nedbank Floating Trophy.
The two runners-up are Heinrich Le Fleur from DGB in
Wellington and Gert Booysen from Neethlingshof in Stellenbosch. They both
received a cash prize of R5 000.
This year a record amount of 300 Afrikaans and Xhosa
speaking cellar workers from across the Western Cape attended the South African
Cellar Worker Programme's series of study groups from April to September, which
is funded by the wine industry organisations VinPro and Winetech.
“The aim of the programme is to empower cellar
workers, celebrate excellence and to foster a spirit of mentorship in the South
African wine industry. We are grateful to every cellar that entered their staff
for the study groups,” says Santi Basson, project coordinator.
This year's study groups focussed on wines from South
Africa and the Americas, as well as the production of sparkling wine and
brandy, and legal wine preparation methods and processes. The practical
tastings involved distinguishing between individual flavour components and
faulty wines.
According to Christo Conradie, manager of VinPro's Wine
Cellars division, the Cellar Worker Programme is practical and it makes a
tangible difference in the wine industry. “By joining hands and collaborating
with stakeholders like Nedbank and Winetech, the wine industry's training dream
is being realised. VinPro is proud to be associated with this initiative,” says
Conradie.
“The wine industry is an important contributor to the
Western Cape economy, and its cellar workers are an integral part of this.
Therefore it is strategically important for Nedbank to sponsor the Cellar
Worker Information Day, during which recognition is given to this exceptional
group of people,” says Helmien Havenga, Nedbank Business Banking's area manager
in the Breede River
Overberg Area.