They say the future is female, and that certainly rings true when it comes to the South African wine industry.
Up until now, our country has produced stellar winemakers who continue to ensure the growing success of locally made wines – with more and more women taking the lead roles.
In honour of Women’s Month, we spoke to Siwela Masoga, a biotechnologist, winemaker and owner of Siwela Wines, a proudly South African, black-owned wine company.
Born in Soweto and raised in Limpopo, Masoga developed a passion for wine while studying biotechnology at Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
After her studies, she got into the industry by joining one of the wineries in Stellenbosch, working in production, which was followed by working in quality development at one of the biggest wine and spirit producers in Africa.
Masoga continued her studies and completed various courses, such as Introduction to Wine, Wine Certificate, Diploma Wine, Garagiste Winemaking and UCT Business of Wine.
Unlike many wine professionals, Masoga did not grow up in a wine region or a winemaking family. Let us discover more about her time in the industry and what she has learnt.
Q: What do you look for when you make wine?
A: I look for accessibility and quality. It is important that I produce wine that is easy to drink, enjoyable, and of the highest quality for my customers.
Q: What is your winemaking philosophy and what are you trying to achieve with your wines?
A: Innovation and passion are the heart of Siwela’s winemaking philosophy. I am always experimenting with new techniques and approaches to winemaking, and always looking for ways to improve the quality of my wines.
But above all, I am driven by my passion for creating wines that are a true expression of the land and the people who work with them.
Q: Describe your challenges of being a woman winemaker in a predominantly male industry. Is it still an issue or just an old stereotype?
A: Yes, certainly some of the challenges include being taken less seriously by distributors, retailers, and consumers, as well as being isolated because of a lack of representation in the industry.
It is slowly becoming an old stereotype as many more women become successful winemakers.
Q: What advice would you give to a young woman who wants to pursue a career in wine?
A: My advice is to find a mentor. Having a mentor who is a woman in the wine industry can be incredibly valuable, as they can provide guidance and support and help open doors.
It will also be helpful to join organisations or groups for women in wine, as they can provide a sense of community and support.
Q: What is your future aim as a winemaker?
A: My future aim is to continue to create high-quality wines that are a true expression of the terroir and the people who make them. I also want to continue to push boundaries and experiment with new techniques and technologies in order to create innovative and unique wines.
In addition, I want to help promote the advancement of women in the wine industry, and to use my platform to advocate for gender equality and diversity in the field.
Q: Where are women going to be in the next 10 years?
A: In the next 10 years, I think women are going to be making huge strides in the wine industry. I believe that we will see more and more women in leadership positions and that the gender pay gap will begin to close.
I also think that the number of women-owned wineries will continue to grow and that we will see more and more women being recognised for their contributions to the industry.
In short, I think that the future of women in wine is bright and that we are going to see a lot of positive change in the coming years.
Masoga’s newly released sparkling and Cap Classique wines, – the 2023 Pinotage Rosé Sparkling Wine, the 2022 Chardonnay MCC, the 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Sparkling Wine and the 2022 Pinotage Rosé MCC – recently won gold at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Awards.
“This was a dream come true, and I couldn’t be more proud,” she said.