Norma Ratcliffe, known as the "First Lady" of the South African wine industry.
Often hailed as the "First Lady" of the South African wine industry, Norma became the first woman to join and chair the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG).
Forty years later, women in South Africa's wine industry are no longer a rarity. From winemakers and sommeliers to viticulturists, writers, entrepreneurs, and landowners, women increasingly hold positions of power – earned through merit.
Be bold: Not because you are a woman
Merit has always been crucial to Norma Ratcliffe, celebrated as one of South Africa’s first commercial female winemakers. She believes that her 1990 invitation to the CWG was based solely on the quality of her wines. She laughs as she recalls everyone’s shock when she was elected CWG chair in 1993.
"They didn’t vote me in because I was a woman but because I made good wine," says Ratcliffe. "I was different, but I didn’t realise it; we were a small group just working hard to get our wine overseas."
Merit again guided her decision to step down as a judge for the Women Winemaker of the Year competition. "Since there wasn’t a Male Winemaker of the Year competition," she explains, "I didn’t believe this initiative helped the cause."
Ratcliffe sees significant progress for women in South African wine over the past 50 years. However, she acknowledges that the industry still struggles with gender inclusivity. "Expectations for women to be appointed are higher now," she says. “But if a male candidate is better suited for a job, women should accept that.”
Ratcliffe emphasises that women shouldn’t overlook non-winemaking roles, particularly in marketing, which she considers vital to a wine brand’s success. She also believes many women could improve their networking and connections within the industry. “Women should be bold enough to seek involvement for their expertise and skill,” she advises.
Still mentoring today, Ratcliffe encourages women to support younger generations in navigating the industry. "The wine industry should focus less on its own importance and more on sharing problems and finding solutions together. The CWG is a large group now, and I think the women benefit from it more than the men. They listen and learn."
SoulSista: From waitress to top sommelier in London
Women are also making their mark in the sommelier field, once dominated by men. Sharrol Mukendi-Klaas (44) from Klerksdorp in the North West Province now works in London for South African company Humble Grape as wine manager of Vivat Bacchus restaurant.
Klaas's journey began as a waitress at Open Wine Bar in Cape Town, where she was inspired to pursue a career in the wine industry. "One of the owners enrolled me in the PIWOSA Women in Wine program, supporting women from disadvantaged backgrounds," Klaas explains. "That opportunity allowed me to study various wine courses, and I’ve never looked back."
Klaas admires South African women leaders in wine, including Andrea Mullineux, Carmen Stevens, Ntsiki Biyela, Natasha Williams, Praisy Dlamini, Catherine Marshall, and Christa of Huis van Chevallerie.
She believes South Africa is a leader in promoting women’s development in Africa, but more should be done to encourage further education, such as enrolling in WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) courses. "Some restaurant owners fail to compensate sommeliers fairly, which discourages them from advancing their studies," she notes. "This issue must be addressed to inspire more women to invest in their professional growth."
Klaas shares her journey on Instagram @SoulSistaWineDiaries, combining her love for wine and art. "I’ve always turned to art to express my emotions," she says, "especially because, as an African woman of my age, I was raised to be submissive, which has been a disadvantage in my career. It can be hard to stand up for oneself and believe in one’s worth. But my friends describe my approach to the wine industry as holistic, which aligns with my belief in authenticity and balance."
Sharrol Mukendi-Klaas (centre) with sommeliers Tawanda Marume (left) and Tinashe Nyamudoka (right).
Rise up: Stepping out of your comfort zone
In 2016, Josephine Karelse from Robertson Winery decided to seize every opportunity that came her way. After finishing school, Karelse worked various jobs, including grape and apricot harvesting, street sweeping, office cleaning, and nine years at a canning factory, before joining Robertson Winery as a general worker in 2008.
When she saw an advertisement for Agri's Got Talent (AGT) at her workplace, she felt compelled to enter. "I knew I had to do it as I wanted to experience a challenge," Karelse says. AGT is a singing competition and skills development project for agricultural workers in the fruit and wine industries, presented by HORTGRO, VinPro Foundation, and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture. Finalists undergo a week of singing and life skills training before performing at a gala event.
Karelse, a lifelong singer, was thrilled to make it to the top 10 out of 70 entries and even more surprised to place third overall. "AGT was a fantastic experience, a real boost for my self-confidence," she says.
In 2023, Karelse was invited to perform at the AGT Reunion Show in Paarl. Her voice features on the song "Rise Up" (streaming link), which holds special meaning for her. "Women are no longer just staying at home to cook and clean. They are finding themselves and rising as working women in whatever profession they choose," she says.
"Women are vital to our wine industry," Karelse adds. "The days when only men were involved are long gone. In this new era, there’s plenty of room for women. I love seeing women take chances and enter the wine industry, where they slowly but surely rise to management positions in winemaking and vineyards."
AGT-star Josephine Karelse with her colleagues at Robertson Winery during the 2023 AGT Roadshow. Photo: Hortgro/Alisa Farr
Entries for Agri's Got Talent 2024 are open until 14 August 2024.
Encouraging: Women in Wine collab
Women in Wine is South Africa’s first fully women-owned, controlled, and managed wine-producing enterprise. A significant milestone was reached in August 2024 when the Women in Wine Natural Sweet range launched at 460 stores in collaboration with Shoprite.
Beverly Farmer, co-founder and CEO, has been involved with Women in Wine for over 20 years. She sees the initiative as a turning point in the traditionally male-dominated wine industry, committed to opening doors for women, including vineyard workers and their families.
"Women in Wine, founded by 20 professional Black women from diverse backgrounds in viticulture, focuses on empowering women and producing quality wine," Farmer says.
Advocating for women’s inclusion in leadership, Women in Wine established the Farm Worker Women’s Trust, partnering with strategic allies to provide on-the-job training opportunities. This initiative currently benefits around 200 female vineyard workers.
"The economic potential of women remains largely untapped, but it’s encouraging to see more women-owned companies in the wine industry and women occupying roles traditionally held by men," Farmer says. She estimates there are about 70 Black-owned enterprises and around 25 women-owned enterprises in South Africa’s wine industry. "Some of these women were pioneers, and their success has encouraged others to enter the industry."
Farmer advises newcomers to collaborate to maximise their impact. "The wine industry can be tough and unforgiving," she cautions.
She also believes ongoing dialogue and discussion about change are essential. "Women in Wine have advocated for greater Black representation on the newly established South African Wine board, and it’s encouraging that two of the four representatives are women. Additionally, in response to feeling excluded from critical discussions on industry transformation, a group of women-owned enterprises marched to Parliament to voice their grievances and submit a memorandum."
Cheers to the next forty years of women in wine!