Introducing…..

September 22nd, 2006 by Annette

IM001353.JPGTanya Stuurman, from Paul Cluver Winery in South Africa, is working with us this harvest season.  She has had four years winery experience and is here to not only experience winemaking here at Cima Collina but also to experience the US as well.  She and her fellow interns spent a few weeks in Virginia learning about grapegrowing and winemaking in the US.  Then 5 interns stayed on in Virginia while 5 came out to Monterey to participate in the crush here. 

This program is sposored by the South African Wine Industry Trust, which is an organization dedicated to the empowerment of black South Africans as well as the promotion of the South African wine industry in general.  This is the first year this internship program has taken place in the US — France has hosted interns for a number of years already — and we are really excited to be a part of it. 

There are astounding changes happening in South Africa in general right now.  Through the “Black Economic Empowerment” initiatives, little by little, black south africans have been able to take ownership of wineries and winery properties to become part of the economic mainstream of the country.  Before, during apartheid, the majority of the population — black and colored south africans — were pushed into the periphery of the economy and worked in mostly menial, low-paying jobs.  Now, combined with higher educational and vocational programs, and internship programs such as this, more folks are able to move up in the ranks.

Tanya is living with me and my family, so it has been interesting to talk with her about South Africa today.  I am particularly interested because I visited South Africa in 1991 during apartheid, albeit toward the very end, and was able to witness firsthand the culture of the country then.  It is amazing how much has happened in 15 years there.

As these things happen, the interns arrived here in a year when the harvest is uncommonly late in California.  I think only two of the interns (Lefa at Blackstone and Philani at Scheid) have been working harvest; the rest of us have been waiting.  Luckily, we do have Sauvignon Blanc coming in today, so Tanya and I will be loading the presses tonight! 

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