Tammy Claasen (38), who now heads red winemaking at famous-name winery Durbanville Hills, was one of the very earliest beneficiaries of the Cape Winemakers’ Guild Protégé programme.
The initiative, which began almost 20 years ago, identifies winemaking students of keen talent and then matches them with legendary mentors in the industry to help ignite and forge their potential.
From 2009, Tammy spent more than three years under the mentorship of celebrated Carl Schultz of Hartenberg Estate. It was not only an excellent professional beginning. It was also character-building.
“After my academic studies at Stellenbosch University, I had a good bit of theoretical training under my belt. But with Carl and the support of the entire team at Hartenberg, I could transform into an actual winemaker. I know that sounds obvious, but responding to the soil beneath my feet, to the tangible, tactile experience of holding the harvest in my hand and then translating that location and the history of the vintage into wines, each with their own unique story, was a very powerful transition for me.
“The way I was guided, the confidence expressed in me and the scope I was given to evolve my own style, shaped me very much as a person and as a leader here in the cellars of one of South Africa’s leading and most trusted wine brands.”
Appointed Durbanville Hills assistant winemaker in 2024, she rose to head of red winemaking earlier this year, taking over after the tragic demise of Wilhelm Coetzee. Her experience is wide-ranging, in big and small cellars, large corporates and family-owned entities.
“There was no doubt that she should be Wilhelm’s successor,” says managing director, Albert Gerber. “She’s gifted, she’s smart, she’s energetic and she has great ideas.”
She has worked abroad, in the cellars of Duckhorn Vineyards, one of the most prominent names in wine in the Napa Valley, California; Oregon’s Union Wine Company; and Weingut Kitzer winery, close to Badenheim on the western edge of Rheinhessen in Germany. She also spent several years in Stellenbosch cellars, in Franschhoek and the Helderberg.
Moving to the cooler-climate Durbanville Hills, where Atlantic morning mists impart a vibrant acidity and pleasing fruit purity to the wines, has brought a fresh perspective to her approach.
She has adopted a technique of giving a personality to each of the grape varieties coming into the cellar. “It’s like having a personal relationship with each one. For me, Merlot is a tomboy – bold at first, but with an air of grace and finesse just waiting to be teased out. Pinotage is a rebel. It’s super-complex and needs a very close watch. Shiraz is the one everyone loves because of its versatility. I could go on and on.
“It’s just one of the ways I maintain curiosity. It pushes me to experiment. On the one hand I’m careful to acknowledge those who have preceded me, but on the other, I’m staying true to a stylistic goal. Here at Durbanville Hills, we pride ourselves on achieving a balance between power and elegance. There’s no formula for that. I try to look at each wine individually to get it right. It can be a tightrope act, but I guess that holds true as much in the cellar as in life!
“Not just for me, but for all the team, it becomes a process of self-discovery. For each of us individually, you try to listen to your heart but remain patient and persistent and just keep at it. That’s how you discover who you are and what you are capable of. It’s about showing up mentally every day. Being present and attentive to not just the obvious but also those small details that can make the difference.”
If that sounds like Paulo Coelho, whose bestseller, The Alchemist, has inspired millions of readers worldwide, it is. It was he who wrote: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
“That’s always been my mantra. It has served me well as far as focus and discipline are concerned. But I’m also so fortunate to come from a farming and a wine family. My father leads Koopmanskloof Wines. My brother is involved there too. My husband works in wine in Franschhoek. Having the chance to indulge in your passion with almost the entire family is an undeniable privilege. Believe me, I’m making the most of it!”