Meet the Wine Cellar Team
Meet the team
James Pietersen
CEO
James, CEO of WineCellar.co.za, was enticed into the world of wine while studying law at the University of Stellenbosch. An encounter with some Château Lynch-Bages 1982 led to an epiphany and a life-long journey in wine ensued. His 25 years of experience in the SA wine industry includes retail, wine buying and working as Head Sommelier for a leading restaurant group. As a professional wine taster, he also has experience with Platter’s Wine Guide (since 2007), Winemag.co.za, Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, and as Panel Chair for the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Challenge. Few pundits taste more wines than him.
What’s James drinking this month?
Jolette Steyn
Head of Sales and Imports
Jolette is a career wine geek and deeply passionate about diversity and sustainability. Before heading up sales and buying our imports in 2021, she managed the Fine Wine Sales and Privé imports portfolio here at Wine Cellar. She studied BSc and MSc in Oenology and Viticulture in SA and Europe, produced wine across four continents with 15 harvests under her belt, judges on local and international panels and can sell you a wine in at least 4 languages. In her spare time, Jolette makes wine under her own label, The Vineyard Party, with the maiden vintage of two small-batch Sémillons released in June 2021.
What’s Jolette drinking this month?
Johan Malan
Brokerage and Investments
Johan holds a MCom in International Trade from North West University’s School of Economics. After finishing high school, Johan spent a year on a wine farm where he had hands-on experience in the harvesting, farming, cellaring and sales of wine. He was also able to travel to many wine farms and it was during this time that his passion for wine began. He has experience in international fruit trade, while trading in fine SA wine was a hobby for him. In 2018, Johan joined Wine Cellar to manage and grow Wine Cellar’s investment and brokerage business. He is invaluable to the Wine Cellar team, and his colleagues can always rely on him for a good joke.
What’s Johan drinking this month?
Donna Warnett
Chief Marketing Officer
Donna majored in English, Media, and Journalism at the UCT and has 17 years’ experience in marketing and digital product management. Her flirtation with wine developed into a love affair after she moved to London in 2009 and joined Liv-ex – the global fine wine marketplace – as Marketing Coordinator and Lead Copywriter. She completed her WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and spent four months travelling through Europe’s major wine regions before returning to SA. She then went on to manage Wine Cellar’s marketing department for four years, eventually leaving to consult for international clients across a range of industries. But Donna couldn’t stay away from wine for long and is delighted to have re-joined the team.
What’s Donna drinking this month?
Stefan van der Merwe
Cellaring Operations & Logistics Manager
Stefan found his love for the wine industry while studying agriculture. After furthering his studies in winemaking, he ventured into wine exports and logistics. Stefan has acquired more than 10 years of experience in the SA wine industry and brings a wealth of knowledge to Wine Cellar. He oversees our cellaring operations and ensures that the strict storage conditions are always met. For any enquiries relating to storage accounts and private cellaring, contact Stefan and he will gladly assist. Beyond his professional commitments, he has an adventurous spirit and a love for sports and travel.
What’s Stefan drinking this month?
Edrich De Wet
Chief Financial Officer
With a post-grad degree in accounting from Stellenbosch University, Edrich is a chartered accountant and Wine Cellar’s Chief Financial Officer. He grew up in Paarl and has been surrounded by wine all his life, spending his school holidays working in the wine industry. When he’s not crunching the numbers, you’ll find him reading a good J.R.R Tolkien novel, out in nature, fishing, cooking, or sipping on a glass of Grenache.
What’s Edrich drinking this month?
Janine Retief
Inbound Logistics
Janine's interest in wine took root while she was obtaining her BA in drama and psychology at the University of Stellenbosch. She spent 10 years at one of SA's most reputable estates, eventually managing all of the farm's exports to global agents. This afforded her the opportunity to travel and sparked her interest in international wines. Janine has been with Wine Cellar since 2008 and specialises in import logistics. As well as living for wine and food, she is particularly interested in people, art, architecture and nature – from the Cape Winelands to the Karoo and everything in between.
What’s Janine drinking this month?
Lauren Segers
SA Buyer & Sales Manager
Lauren found her way into the world of wine after completing a triple major at UCT in Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Film and Sociological Sciences. It was while working at a restaurant on a local wine farm that she fell in love with the process of winemaking. She traveled to the States and worked as an assistant sommelier while continuing to self-study through the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), Windows on the World and Guild of Sommelier books. Lauren joined the Wine Cellar team through our Skills Challenge Internship program, and today her role focuses on SA wine procurement and sales.
What’s Lauren drinking this month?
Robyn Rumble
Outbound Logistics
After working in tourism for many years, the challenge of a new industry brought Robyn to Wine Cellar. Since joining in 2015, Robyn has been in charge of Wine Cellar’s outbound logistics, including the delivery of all online orders and transporting any withdrawals from the private cellaring facilities. If you need any assistance regarding local shipping, express delivery or order tracking, Robyn will gladly handle any of your queries.
What’s Robyn drinking this month?
Charles Gatawa
Cellaring Controller
Having been with Wine Cellar since 2009, Charles has become an integral part of the business and knows the facility like the back of his hand. He is the first point of call for any query relating to both storage and Wine Cellar stock. In addition to being the primary packer and stock checker, Charles also handles storage accounts on Wine Cellar’s specialised warehousing software. Charles is an avid Man. United supporter, and when he’s not working he’s sure to be watching the game and cheering on his team.
What’s Charles drinking this month?
Abner Phiri
Stock Manager
Abner, Wine Cellar’s energetic and passionate stock controller, is a key member of the company’s dispatch team. He heads the team responsible for packing orders and preparing them for delivery. Passionate about the wine industry and working with Wine Cellar’s extensive stock, Abner’s enthusiasm spreads throughout his team as he rallies to get things done. Over the weekends, you might spot Abner at one of Cape Town’s markets selling his art which often features upcycled corks and other byproducts of the wine trade.
What’s Abner drinking this month?
Torben Snell
Front of House Manager
After a short course in music engineering at Varsity College, Torben joined a local farm where he realised there was more to wine than meets the eye. He’s our friendly Front of House Manager at Wine Cellar and, in his spare time, you’ll find him drawing anime or embracing his creativity through music.
What’s Torben drinking this month?
Louis du Plessis
Web Designer
Louis studied at the Cape Town Creative Academy and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Interaction Design. After high school, he had a keen interest in wine and coffee and took various courses in both fields. He’s currently responsible for everything design-related at Wine Cellar, including our bi-weekly newsletters and front-end website updates. On the weekend, Louis enjoys DJ-ing and improving his palate.
What’s Louis drinking this month?
Jade Pritchard
Marketing Coordinator
Jade completed her degree in Psychology and Linguistics and has had an interest in the wine industry since joining her family on a tour of the Cape Winelands. With a background in content creation and social media, she jumped at the opportunity to join the marketing team at Wine Cellar. On the weekends, you’ll find her on the beach or gathering with friends, sipping on a Storm Pinot Noir.
What’s Jade drinking this month?
Nadine Cupido-Kayter
Finance Administrator
Nadine has been part of the Wine Cellar team since 2021. Her journey in the wine industry began in 2016, when she became a cellar door ambassador on a wine farm. She completed her WSET Level 2 course and fell in love with the wine craft and industry. Wanting to learn more, she moved to the farm’s logistics team as a Logistics Co-Ordinator, exporting wines both locally and internationally. Nadine now works in our procurement and accounts department. When she isn’t assisting with orders and account queries, you’ll find her outdoors with her family, exploring the beauty of nature.
What’s Nadine drinking this month?
Aidan Brice
Brokerage & Vintage Operations
Aidan has a degree in Business Administration from IMM Graduate School. A memorable tasting in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley piqued his interest, and this developed into a passion for fine wine after only a few months at Wine Cellar, where he oversees all brokerage and vintage operations and manages customer relations. Aidan has a love for travel and the outdoors, and splurges on a 2005 Sauternes from Chateau d’Yquem whenever he has the chance!
What’s Aidan drinking this month?
Robyn Jane Martin
Digital Merchandiser
Robyn studied at Northlink College and has always been excited about wine and all things marketing. After spending many years in the claims department of an insurance company, she had the opportunity to move to the wine industry and pursue both of these interests at once! In her spare time, Robyn enjoys gardening, creating colourful charcuterie boards for her family and friends, and of course enjoying a few glasses of wine.
What’s Robyn drinking this month?
Daneeka Gutuza
Receptionist & Admin Assistant
Daneeka is an internationally qualified beauty specialist and has an Advance 1 Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance. She’s the first face you’ll see at Wine Cellar and runs the front of house, managing the reception and administration. In her free time, Daneeka teaches hip hop dance classes and attends modelling castings. You might even have seen her in the hit movie ‘Honey 3: Dare to Dance!’
Kudzie Munemo
Stock Controller
Kudzie is a longstanding member of our team, having spent over a decade at Wine Cellar. He has completed his WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and currently works as a Stock Controller, ensuring cellaring wines are catalogued correctly. Kudzie is an avid Arsenal supporter and loves to unwind while drinking a glass of the Glenelly Glass Collection Cabernet Sauvignon.
What’s Kudzie drinking this month?
Ngonie Matirira
Auction Coordinator
Ngonie has completed his WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and is our resident auction coordinator. He’s a wonderful cook and avid sportsman, playing soccer and rugby whenever he has the chance. On the weekends you’ll catch him soaking up all the beauty Cape Town has to offer, with a glass of Goudichaud Graves de Vayres Blanc 2020.
What’s Ngonie drinking this month?
Sasha Pshenichnikov
Procurement
Sasha has an extensive background in the hospitality industry, working in some of the most revered restaurants in Russia, France, America and the UAE. After meeting an icon in the food and wine world, his love for the wine industry blossomed. Sasha moved to South Africa at the beginning of 2020 and, upon receiving his SASA qualification, joined us here at Wine Cellar, where he works in procurement. When he isn’t behind his desk, you’ll find Sasha with his nose in a glass of Pinot Gris by the ocean.
What’s Sasha drinking this month?
Jack Davis
Wine Sales
Jack completed his Bachelor of Commerce in Supply Chain Management at IMM Graduate School and is currently in his final year of the WSET Diploma. Growing up on a wine farm ignited his passion for wine; however it was working at a wine bar in Stellenbosch that encouraged him to study through WSET. After attending tastings at Wine Cellar, Jack joined us as an intern and now has a permanent place on the team. He enjoys tennis, cooking and spending time with his friends while indulging in La Rioja Alta’s Viña Alberdi.
What’s Jack drinking this month?
Jesmael Kwangwari
Packing Team
Before joining Wine Cellar, Jesmael completed a certification in farming and worked in a coffee shop. He joined us on the packing team in 2015 and has been our handy forklift driver ever since.
