Dominique Modena grew up in Kleinzee, a small mining town on the West Coast in the Northern Cape. "Growing up, although my dad worked for the mines, he still loved to be busy with his hands, from making small-batch wine from table grapes growing in the area or propagating olive trees," says Dominique. "My mom was a potter and she loves painting and gardening. This, I think, is where love for plants and outdoorsy things comes from."
In high school, Dominique and her family moved to Cape Town, and this was where her interest in winemaking as a career was ignited: "In Grade 12, I worked with Matthew Day at Klein Constantia for a school project. This experience really opened my eyes to the winemaking field. It was then that my dad mentioned the winemaking degree at Stellenbosch University."
"I realised then that this was a career that would entail everything I love to do: being active, spending time outdoors, traveling, meeting interesting people, and creating. Most importantly, it is a science as well as an art."
Dominique joined the Boschendal team in 2021 as a cellar intern. In August 2022, she was appointed permanently as an assistant winemaker.
In this interview, Dominique chats about her job as assistant winemaker and what drives and inspires her.
What is your position at Boschendal and what does it entail?
I am the assistant winemaker at Boschendal. We have three winemakers (red wine, white wine and Cap Classique), and I always get asked the question, "Which side do you assist with?" My answer is that I am extremely lucky to be working at a cellar that has winemakers with backgrounds in all sorts of styles but specialise in one particular style at Boschendal. So, long story short, I assist all our winemakers.
What’s one thing people wouldn’t know about your path to becoming a winemaker?
At one stage of my life, before I discovered you can actually get a science degree in winemaking, I actually wanted to study astrophysics. Later on, it changed to human genetics (closer to what I actually studied). I think that was one of my overlapping interests with what I ended up studying. It may not have been human genetics, however plant genetics and pathology did form part of my studies.
What makes Boschendal's wines stand out from the rest?
I think what makes Boschendal's wines stand out is their amazing diversity. As the winemaking team, we are lucky to be able to work with top-end sites throughout the Western Cape. This allows us to create wines with complexity and a variety of flavours.
What's your favourite Boschendal wine?
Hmmmm, this is a tough one. I have quite a few favourites and it really depends on my mood. But, it would have to be either the Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon or Elgin Sauvignon Blanc, or maybe Boschendal Grande Cuvèe Brut.
What is one piece of advice you would give to women looking to make a career in wine?
Be part of the team. Something that Jacques Viljoen, Boschendal's red winemaker, always said to me is you need to be everywhere, learn everything, and really engage yourself, so that when an opportunity arises you're more than ready to take it on. And… be humble. Accept advice when given, even if it isn’t what you wanted to hear. Being present in every situation will really help you to know and understand every aspect of your career.
If you weren't a winemaker, what would you be doing?
Growing up, I wanted to be a horse trainer. Horses were a big thing for me growing up. I later became interested in more science-related career paths, such as medicine. So, if I wasn’t making wine, I would probably be in medicine (the human genetics side).
But today, I don’t see myself doing anything else. I really love my career. I love horses and I still love to ride, but it's not something I'd want to do for a living.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Besides horse riding, I enjoy doing anything crafty or working in the garden.