Lost after matriculating in 2013, Skye Nolan (29) considered pig farming because she thought it was profitable. But her mom, Janet Scott, steered her towards the wine industry, where she could combine her love for practical agriculture with the beauty and creativity of wine.
In just two days while on holiday with her mom in Montagu, she discovered her life’s calling. She’d had no plans to study after school and instead immersed herself in part-time study to supplement her nine years’ practical experience in the wine industry. Her career trajectory reflects her versatility and dedication to the wine industry.
She started off as an assistant winemaker at Lord's Wines in 2015. The following year, she took on the role of harvest intern at Rupert & Rothschild where she gained invaluable experience. She considers herself fortunate to have worked for them, given their selective approach to hiring harvest interns with no formal qualifications. In 2017, she was appointed as an assistant winemaker and cellar administration officer at Le Grand Domaine where she gained most of her industry knowledge. During her four-year permanent tenure her responsibilities included ensuring compliance with quality standards such as BRC, ISO and IPW, and overseeing cellar operations.
In 2022, she joined Bulk Wine Centre where she excelled in her role as assistant wine buyer and producer liaison officer and contributed significantly to the annual export volume of about 10 million litres. Her responsibilities included contract drafting, quality assessments and intake coordination, demonstrating her ability to manage multiple tasks with ease.
She’s been in her current post as assistant winemaker and compliance manager at Bellevue Estate since August last year, and has demonstrated an excellent understanding of winemaking coupled with an extremely high work ethic. She is grateful to oom Dirkie, AKA Dirkie Morkel, former owner of Bellevue Estate, for guiding her on this journey. With her holistic approach, she constantly considers the environmental impact of wine production.
“I love learning, and there’s no limit to how much one person can know,” she says. She has completed WSET level 2 and Cape Wine Academy introduction courses. She also successfully completed The Business of Wine course at the UCT Graduate School of Business, where she came top of her class in Michael Fridjhon’s tasting exam. Her commitment to continuous learning is further emphasised by her pursuit of the NEBOSH general certificate in international health and safety. She has also completed all four levels of the SKOP training programme through WineTraining SA, achieving 100% in the final level. She has since become a WineTrainingSA lecturer.
Yvette Jordaan, general manager at Bellevue Estate, describes Skye as a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability, food safety, health, safety, and ethical trade in the wine industry. “Skye’s active involvement in training cellar staff, conducting quality checks and implementing sustainable practices speaks to her commitment to making a positive impact,” she says.
“I take pride in demonstrating that passion can often hold greater value than formal education,” Skye says. “Success doesn’t invariably hinge on having a degree.” She wants to inspire others and believes that if someone has a genuine desire to learn they should pursue it wholeheartedly.
Her paramount goal is to pioneer innovation and reshape the industry’s perception of the triple bottom line comprising profit, sustainability and social responsibility. Her aim is to ascend to the position of head winemaker so she can enact substantive change and foster a holistic approach to viticulture and winemaking.
Rapid fire Q&A
- Favourite wine ever tasted? Bellevue 1953 Pinotage.
- Favourite binge-worthy TV show? Gilmore Girls
- Favourite pick-me-up song? "Take On Me" by A-ha
- Least-known fact about you? I love cricket.
- Ideal holiday destination? The Garden Route
Skye is on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.