For several decades, Marilyn Cooper was a familiar and influential figure in South African wine. Through her work at the Cape Wine Academy, she helped shape the careers of countless wine professionals, championed education and worked to make the industry more accessible to those wishing to find their place in it.
Her passing marks the loss of a remarkable woman whose influence extended well beyond the classroom.
A champion of wine education
Marilyn's journey into wine began relatively late in life. In 1986, she enrolled at the Cape Wine Academy, setting in motion a career that would eventually see her lead the very institution where she had started her studies.
After working in wine retail and compiling restaurant wine lists, she qualified as a Cape Wine Master in 1999. That same year, she joined the Cape Wine Academy as Manager for the North, based in Johannesburg.
She went on to serve as Principal, Managing Director and CEO, helping guide the Academy through a period of growth and change. During her approximately 15 years with the institution, including six as CEO, she worked to strengthen wine education and expand opportunities for students across the wine, hospitality and tourism sectors.
By 2011, the Academy had celebrated more than 100 000 course enrolments since its establishment, a milestone reflecting the growing appetite for wine education in South Africa.
Marilyn retired in December 2013, leaving behind an institution and an industry to which she had devoted much of her professional life.
Opening doors and leaving a legacy
In an industry historically dominated by men, Marilyn was a pioneering leader who believed that knowledge should create opportunities.
Among her most meaningful achievements was securing funding from the Department of Tourism and the Expanded Public Works Programme to provide wine and hospitality training for 200 unemployed young people from townships in the Cape and Gauteng. Through the Wine Advisor – Level 1 Cape Sommelier programme, participants gained practical skills and knowledge to help them pursue careers in the industry.
Her commitment to making wine more accessible also found expression in the Soweto Wine Festival, which she helped establish and which grew to attract approximately 10 000 wine consumers.
Judy Brower, founder of wine.co.za, worked alongside Marilyn for a number of years on the Soweto Wine Festival and remembers the experience with great fondness.
For Judy, the festival was about far more than introducing people to new wines. It was about sharing the joy of wine with new audiences, breaking down barriers and having tremendous fun along the way as they encouraged people in Soweto to discover and enjoy South African wine.
It is a fitting reflection of Marilyn's approach to the industry: enthusiastic, inclusive and driven by a genuine desire to share her passion with others.
Her contribution was not simply in teaching people about wine, but in helping them build confidence, develop careers and discover a sense of belonging in the industry.
The Institute of Cape Wine Masters has paid tribute to her life and achievements, remembering a passionate educator and determined advocate for greater inclusion and access to wine education.
For those who studied under her, worked alongside her or crossed paths with her over the years, her legacy is also a personal one.
Share your memories of Marilyn
As the South African wine community remembers Marilyn Cooper, wine.co.za invites those who knew her to share their memories and reflections.
Were you one of her students at the Cape Wine Academy? Did you work alongside her, attend one of her courses or encounter her during her many years in the industry?
We would love to hear your stories, whether it's a favourite memory, a lesson that stayed with you or simply a few words about the impact she had on your journey in wine.
Please share your memories in the comments, or get in touch with wine.co.za. Together, we can celebrate the life of a woman who helped shape South African wine education and the people who carry its legacy forward.
Our sincere condolences go to Marilyn's family, friends, former colleagues and the many members of the wine community whose lives she touched.
Marilyn Cooper | 8 December 1948 – 22 October 2026
Read the Institute of Cape Wine Masters' full tribute.