Wine Maker

by Staff Reporter
by Staff Reporter
If you have a passion for science and the outdoors then a career as a Wine Maker could be for you.

Career Overview

Wine Makers are responsible for supervising and coordinating the production of wine or spirits from a variety of grapes.  Wine Makers are actively involved in the growth, harvest, crushing, fermentation, clarification, aging, blending, bottling and marketing of grapes.  Relying on the elements to produce good crops, Wine Makers need to have an understanding of weather, soil and science in order to produce wine of high quality.

Required School Subjects

You will need to have taken the following subjects at high school:

  • English or Afrikaans (Home Language or First Additional Language)
  • Mathematics
  • Physical Sciences

Recommended subjects:

  • Life Sciences
  • Agricultural Sciences

Institution and APS

The following institutions are highly recommended for students wanting to become a Wine Maker:

  • Stellenbosch University – No specific APS
  • Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute – No specific APS

**Take note of the entry requirements in the Required Qualifications section below

Required Qualification/s

To practice as a Wine Maker, you need to have a tertiary education in agriculture. This can either be in the form of a Bsc Agri or a B Agric, majoring in Viticulture and Oenology. 

The University of Stellenbosch offers a BSc Agric in Grape and Wine Sciences.  The entry requirements are as follows:

  • NBT tests in AQL and MAT
  • NSC with an aggregate of at least 60% (excluding Life Orientation)
  • 50% in English or Afrikaans (Home Language or First Additional Language)
  • 60% in Mathematics
  • 50% in Physical Sciences

Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute offers a B Agric in Viticulture and Oenology with the following entry requirements:

  • Students must complete their NBTs in AQL. If students do Mathematics then they must write the Mathematics (MAT) test; however, if students do Mathematical Literacy, they do not need to writ the MAT NBT test. 
  • NSC or the IEB’s school-leaving certificate with an aggregate of at least 55% (excluding Life Orientation)
  • 50% in English or Afrikaans (Home Language or First Additional Language)
  • 50% in Mathematics or 60% in Mathematical Literacy
  • 50% in Physical Sciences OR 50% in Life Sciences OR 50% in Agricultural Sciences

They also offer a Diploma in Agriculture in Viticulture and Oenology with the minimum entry requirements:

  • NSC as certified by Umalusi with an aggregate of at least 40%.
  • 40% in English or Afrikaans (Home Language or First Additional Language)
  • 40% in Mathematics or 60% in Mathematical Literacy
  • 40% in Physical Sciences OR 50% in Life Sciences OR 50% in Agricultural Sciences
  • 40% in one of the following subjects: Business Studies, Dramatic Arts, Economics, Geography, History, Religious Studies, Information Technology, Engineering Graphic and Design, Music, Accountancy, Consumer Studies, Visual Arts, and Languages

Required Skills

You will need to have the following skills to succeed as a Wine Maker:

  • Good communication skills
  • Determination, hard work, and endurance
  • A true passion for science and the outdoors
  • Capacity to deal with the stress that comes with a sometimes-unpredictable job

Where you can work

As a Wine Maker, you can specialise in one of the following areas:

  • Grape Production
  • Wine Making
  • Vineyard Management
  • Consultant
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Biotechnologist
  • Research
  • Blending Specialist
  • Cellar Manager
  • And more…

Working Hours

Working hours largely depend on the season. During the harvest period, hours can be from 6am to 5pm, whereas out of the harvest season, when you are making sure that the vines are healthy, working hours ease out to 8am-5pm.

Expected Salary

According to PayScale, the average pay for a Wine Maker in South Africa ranges between R201k – R596k per year, depending on experience.

What to expect

Here are a few things you can expect from a career as a Wine Maker:

  • A lot of physical work over long hours, especially during the harvest season.
  • Depending on where you work, settings can feel remote.
  • Constant monitoring of the development of wines – from when the grapes are on the vine, to when they are ready to be bottled.
  • A taste for good wine – with an understanding of what blends are the best for the consumer.
  • A lot of technical work. Oftentimes, making the right blend of wine can be a very particular and technical process. This is where an eye for detail and critical thinking become important.

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