Aspiring winemaker and the Cape Winemakers Guild's first woman protégé, Praisy Dlamini, will commence her exciting new internship starting July at the renowned Glen Carlou Vineyards situated near Paarl as assistant to winemaker David Finlayson.

This will be Praisy's second phase in her two-year Protégé internship programme after starting out at Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset-West under the mentorship of Philip Costandius, Chairman of the Guild.

Praisy, who hails from KwaDlangezwa in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, was selected as the first woman to join the CWG Protégé Programme in January 2008 after graduating from Elsenburg Agricultural College with a diploma in Viticulture and Oenology.

"I'm very excited about my new internship and look forward to having one of the country's greatest winemakers as mentor," says Praisy. Glen Carlou was established in 1985 by David's farther and wine pioneer Walter Finlayson and today the winery has a worldwide reputation for quality wines. Walter is also a founder member of the Cape Winemakers Guild.

The CWG Protégé Programme was launched in 2006 with the vision to bring about transformation in the wine industry through cultivating and nurturing winemakers from previously disadvantaged groups to become winemakers of excellence, who can in time be invited to become members of the Cape Winemakers Guild. The Protégé Programme was the brainchild of Philip Costandius and is funded by the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust and funds raised by Guild members.