Christo Pienaar, SANWSA Chairman and cellar master of Nuy Winery, will soon be adding another chapter to his storied career – as the CEO of Bonnievale Wines. WineLand asked him about the new role.
Christo Pienaar, incoming CEO of Bonnievale Wines.
When will you be assuming the position as CEO?
I start in my new position at Bonnievale Wines on 6 July 2023. I have no prior connection with Bonnievale.
I will continue in my role as Chairman of the South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) and am still on the Board of AgriExpo. None of these roles at other institutions will be affected.
How does the position fit into the organisational structure and what is your mandate?
I take over the position of CEO from John Barnardt, who was at the helm of Bonnievale for 17 years.
My mandate will be to help develop the Bonnievale producers and brand with new ideas and innovation.
What is the size and scope of Bonnievale Wines’s operation?
Like most cellars, this year was a smaller harvest, and the cellar pressed around 26 000 tonnes.
The challenge remains to get grape producers to plant the right wine grape cultivars and not switch to other alternative/diversified agricultural crops.
What other major challenges are producers facing?
Most grape producers feel the cost pressure at farm level, and producer cellars are also under great pressure.
The challenge is to relieve financial pressure on the producers and cellar to earn the best possible price for the cellar’s wine.
What will your priorities be as incoming CEO?
It’s difficult to assign priorities in advance, but the first order of business will be to familiarise myself with the producers, the environment and the current staff of Bonnievale Wines.
Bonnievale Cellar is the result of four cellars that merged together, and as such is an important link in the greater Bonnievale area.
A profile of Bonnievale Winery
Bonnievale is situated some 150 km due east of Cape Town, almost midway between Robertson and Swellendam. The winery is located on the banks of the Breede River in a fertile valley created by the Riviersonderend and Langeberg Mountains, which has a long association with excellent dairy, fruit and wine grape farming. The cellar produces a portfolio of balanced, consistent wines with classic varietal character that complement and enhance lifestyle occasions.
“Bonnievale Winery continues to find success thanks to sound fundamentals underscoring growth in the business. The unwavering pursuit of quality in the vineyards and our wineries during the past 12 months was again re-affirmed by record sales and authoritative awards. Outstanding relationships with our customers and consumers remain the backbone that drives constant improvement in efficiencies and sales channels, ensuring that our proudly Wine of Origin Robertson story is embraced far and wide.” – Carlen Wahl, General Manager, Marketing.
The winemaking team includes Jean Slabber, who spent time in California’s Napa Valley, one of the world’s most prized winemaking regions, before joining Bonnievale Wines. Similarly, Chris van Reenen worked in Napa as well as some of South Africa’s premier regions before settling in Bonnievale. Eddie Mathambo was born here and started as cellar hand, working and training his way up to the position of winemaker. Tinus le Roux’s career began as a conservationist but quickly deviated into wine, where his insights have become invaluable. Finally, wine production manager Marthinus Rademeyer’s international experience as a winemaker has seen him work at wineries in amongst others, California and in St. Emillion, France. He joined the Bonnievale team in 2009.
