Jordan Wine Estate starts Wine Forum for young wine enthusiasts.
Jordan Wine Estate pursued a vision of providing a platform for young wine enthusiasts to attend a wine forum. This Wine Forum is aimed at individuals who display an acute passion for wine and do not necessarily have the funds to pay for formal wine education.
The individuals were hand selected by Jacques Steyn, General Manager at Jordan Wine Estate, and are active in the hospitality industry and will therefore be engaged in some sort of wine aspect.
The aim of the wine forum is for young wine enthusiasts to work through tutored tastings presented by industry professionals – cultivar/blends and region – whilst at the same time being able to ask questions and engage with fellow peers.
The first Wine Forum was held over the weekend of the 14 – 16th August 2015.
This is an exercise in giving back. The invited individuals were not required to pay any fee, they only needed to organise their own transport and bring along one bottle of their favourite wine which was discussed and enjoyed over dinner with Gary and Kathy Jordan.
The feedback from students has been overwhelming.
Sandile Mkhwanazi writer for Winelands Magazine via Edo Heyns: “Yesterday, I asked Sandile to talk to us about his experience this past weekend. The result was phenomenal. He simply could not stop praising your efforts and sharing new initiatives, ideas and knowledge!”
Richard de Almeidi, Brand Ambassador for De Morgenzon: “I have to convey my sincerest and most heartfelt Thank You for including me in this Forum this weekend.
It was an invaluable resource in furthering my own wine education, knowledge and appreciation.
The wines chosen, the speakers selected and indeed the participants were all top notch.”
Presentations were done by Elunda Basson of JC Le Roux, Gary Jordan, Charles Hopkins of De Grendel, Francois Rautenbach of Singita, David Trafford, Nadia Barnard from Waterkloof, and Christian Eedes.
The result will hopefully be that these individuals will walk away from the weekend not only with a better understanding of South African wines, but also have absorbed a general sense of wine appreciation which will act as a motivational catalyst to become permanent role players in the industry and influence some of the traditional African markets.
Thank you to the estates who sponsored wines for The Wine Forum and to Michael Fridjhon, of Reciprocal Wine Trading, for allowing our students to use Riedel glasses for their tastings and for sponsoring a few selected international wines for them to taste and expand their tasting horizons.
We have no doubt that the success of the weekend will not only benefit the wine industry and we look forward to running the Wine Forum year after year, with the wonderful and generous support from all the wine estates involved.
For further information please contact Thea van der Merwe at thea@jordanwines.com or + 27 (0)21 881 3441.