Cape wine Academy:
Gauteng (Transvaal)
1981-1989
Sue Brown
Former manager
CWA, (Transvaal),
Gauteng ,
1981-1989
Where it all began
The Cape Wine academy
Transvaal, began in Johannesburg as part of a Stellenbosch
Farmers Winery marketing
exercise, referred to as the
wine plan which spawned
wine centre's in the major
cities around South Africa.
This plan suggested that wine
advisors would go out and
offer wine tastings and other
promotional activities as way
to promote wine via a team
of young, good looking women.
Although the wine centers in
other parts of the country
remained for a longer period,
Johannesburg was not seen as
viable and only the Cape
Wine Academy, the educational arm of the plan survived. I was working for Benny Goldberg’s at the time and
was fortunate to be offered a
part time job lecturing for the
Academy on
an ad hoc
bases in various venues
including Barclays Bank’s
training room
in the city. In the search for a
home and through the instigation of CWA student Stan
Ulyate, Barclays then loaned
the academy premises, at a
peppercorn rent, at 155, West
Street, Sandown.
I was then offered the full time
job of manager of the Cape
Wine (JHB) and I was joined
shortly by Rikkie Bressler .
Colleen O Farrell joined us
next on a part time basis to
help with the administrative
running of the academy and
Caroline (Leah) Mdeba ensured everything was kept ship
shape.
Without the assistance of
wineries in the vicinity we
were reliant of local wine
experts to assist in the lectures and as the local students rose through the ranks
we harnessed their skill and
knowledge.
Not all of Stellenbosch Framers Wineries senior management felt the need to support
the CWA and everything we
did was done on a shoe string.
We were fortunate to have
support local wine writers, such
as Michael Fridhjon, Peter Devereux, Tinus Van Niekerk and BJ.
Lankwarden.
It was basically with this kind of
support , a highly enthusiastic staff
and a burgeoning student base
that the Academy gained traction
in the wine education world in
Johannesburg . We were, however, not alone in presenting courses, The KWV had a strong presence and were very well staffed
and the various liquor retail outlets were holding different courses. There were also many influential wine clubs; the Johannesburg
Wine society & the Bacchanalian
Society probably considered the
forerunners.
As a disclaimer I must point out
this is a personal history of the
CWA. I know as I look at old
photographs that I have missed
out some people as I could not
put a name to them. I unreservedly apologize to those who feel
unacknowledged for their efforts.
Peter Devereux
Rikkie Bresssler: 1983
For the fiscally interested, the cost
of the Preliminary Wine course at
155, West Street, Sandown was
External support : The Wine Writers.
Michael Fridjhon
Phyllis Hands, Principle of the Cape
Wine Academy and Sue Brown,
manager of the Johannesburg Centre.
Colleen O Farrel: 1983
Tinus van Niekerk & BJ Lankwarden
Len Fish, Martin James &
sue Brown. CWA 1983
Cape wine Academy:
Page 2
Staff at the Astra
The wine Centre, Johannesburg
155, west Street, Sandown
Rikkie left to work more regular hours as her parenting duties increased and her husband need her in
his business. The next person to step into her shoes
was Ianette, originally from the KWV and with a
teaching background, Ianette stayed with the Academy from the move from West Street, Sandown to
the Astra Hotel in Corlett Drive. This venue was
courtesy of Alan Gerson who owned the hotel at
that time. When the Academy moved to the Court
House, Ianette opened up the Pretoria centre. The
Academy had had a small presence there for some
time organized by Ianette and it proved viable enough
to have a permanent home. Ianette married Kobus
during her period of employment
and remains living in the Transvaal
with her family.
During the time in the Astra Hotel,
Barbara Percival held the administration portfolio she left for another job in the
wine industry, when we moved to the Court House. She later returned to England
where she now lives with her husband Steve., surrounded by her extended family.
The lecturers
The Diploma course was beginning to expand and the viticulture and viniculture specialist were
flown in from the Cape, whilst most other lecturers were found from among local experts. One
notable exception to this was Colin Frith, who as one the writers of the curriculum, made regular
visits to JHB. Local Lecturers changed overtime, early on, with Len fish and James Martin
(photograph page 1) , there was Margaret Gluckman and Rowena Bregman (CWM)
Astra Hotel, Corlett Drive, Birnham
Husband and wife team Dave & Helen Garnet , lent their skills, knowledge and
support, especially important in the less than
salubrious surrounding of the Astra Hotel.
The Garnets moved in the ‘80’s to Australia .
John Abbott was also a stalwart academy supporter, John now lives in
Sweden with his wife and family. →
The Court House, 2 Saxon Road,
Sandhurst .
There were many more people who I have lost contact with .
Neil Lee, George Bernfeldt, Jill, Sue McFadden, and Beate in
Pretoria. More faces crowd my memory as we grew, there
was Uwe Putlitz, Winnie and Didi, Geoff Boomer and Janet
but then I could go for ever!
The Cape Wine Academy TVL.
Page 3
The first Northern Cape Wine Masters!
Peter Koff, left JHB for the Cape
Rowena Bregman, Lecuturer and then emigrated to America
and strong supporter of the with his wife, where he still runs
his own wine business.
CWA
Here to stay
Times changed with the move
to the Court House at last we
were an entity which was likely
to survive. With the corporate
changes to SFW the writing was
on the wall there were going to
be further changes but the
northern segment of the Cape
wine Academy was entrenched.
With the changing of the guard,
in the Cape and in the Transvaal
management , the whole educational presentation took on a
different identity. The Cape
took the decision there should
be less use of students to lecture
and we moved into a more sophisticated marketing function. Bea
Whittaker joined us this time and
Penny Gold was a Northerner
although Durban lays claim to
her as she lives there now but
her fledgling CWA courses
were attended in Johannesburg. Dick Davidson attended the Diploma course in
Johannesburg before migrating
south. Margaret Fry, Peter
Gebler and Charl Van
Teijlingen, began journey during these formation years
prior to 1990. Marilyn
Cooper, Michael Claasen ,V al
Kartsounis and Henry Davel
were the super group coming
through at that time. Margie
Barker did her prelim course
in the ‘80’s. All these people
were instrumental in keeping
the Academy going, by giving
up there time lecturing and
by promoting the Academy to
a wider circle of people. I
completed my CWM in 1992.
was with us until she married.
One of the last secretaries
for a short period of time was
Myra Bullock, In 1990 I left to
take up a marketing position
with Klein Constantia. A year
later I moved with my husband and family to Natal,
where I ran the Cape wine
Academy part time in New
Germany , (Durban, Natal)
returning to JHB three years
later prior to our emigrating
to Australia .
The Other regions
Peter Devereux wrote during
this time of the CWA, that staff
had to be highly self motivated as
there was very little support
from administrators. Reporting
to head office and not to the
regional office left us isolated
but we were not alone in these
working conditions. As the wine
centers around the country folded, new part-time staff filled the
spaces left by the old education
staff. There was Karen McDowell
in Durban, Janet Sterkmire in
East London and Evelyn Grieve in
Port Elizabeth, we seldom saw
each other but we did keep in
contact on the ‘phone as we
were all in the same ‘boat’.
Over and above the education
component we were often called
on to support the marketing of
SFW. This involved us in promotions including the Zonnebloem
Wine Taster of the Year, Kellerprinz Braai competition, and the
University Tasseneberg Wine
Tasting Challenge. We also assisted with the pre– Nederburg Auction tasting in JHB, this often
meant special international guests
were able to present tasting to
students. .
We also instigated the The Cape
Wine Academy Wine Club Quiz,
which might have gone on to
great things, but Gyles
Webbs’ (Thelma) team lost
the cup whilst celebrating one
year and it died a natural
death!
We were also involved, in the
Diners Club wine List Award,
partly because the then MD
Hugh Peatling was one of the
first CWA students, post wine
centre and attended the preliminary course in a dusty hall
which constituted the adult
learning centre in Parkhurst.
Geoff Carter & sue Brown, Geoff
was another stalwart of the Academy in the late 80’s.
Sue Brown
Former manager CWA, (Transvaal), Gauteng ,
1981-1989