I work in the cellar every day of my life but when I walked into it that Saturday evening of 15 September I could hardly believe my eyes for that drab interior of tanks and winemaking paraphernalia had been transformed into a massive, gleaming white tent with subdued lighting, beautifully laid tables and masses of owers everywhere. It was a supreme effort stage-managed by our own staff, but it was worth every bit of it for it turned into a most memorable evening, with the old hands reminiscing about the early days and inspiring us with their stories of how they overcame the many adversities that confronted them in the 1960s. The master of ceremonies that evening was Duimpie Bayly, one of the true legends of our wine industry, who started working at the old Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery (SFW) in 1962 – the same year in which Du Toitskloof – and as a member of that company’s winemaking team has had a very long and mutually rewarding association with us. Click HERE to read complete newsletter (pdf format)...Subscribe to our Newsletter