The Cape Winemakers Guild has awarded its 8th study bursary to a student at Elsenburg Agricultural College as part of its on-going Protégé Programme to further the development of young aspiring winemakers. The bursaries provide students with financial support during their final year of study, after which they can apply for the Guild's three year internship programme.

This year's recipient of the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Bursary is Wade Sander of Northcliff, Johannesburg who is currently at Elsenburg studying for his B Agric degree in oenology and viticulture.

Intrigued by the taste and complexity of wine, Wade decided to trade the gold mines for the Cape winelands and enrolled at Elsenburg to pursue his passion and desire to make his own wine.

"My dream is to own an organic wine estate, where I could grow grapes and create high quality premium wines under my own label," says Wade, a third year student who has a great appreciation for nature. 

Once he has graduated, Wade will be interviewed for the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme, which offers students a three year internship during which time they will have the opportunity to learn from, and work alongside some of the country's best winemakers who are members of the Guild.

The Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme was launched in 2006 under the auspices of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Trust with the goal of bringing about transformation in the wine industry by cultivating, nurturing and empowering promising individuals to become winemakers of excellence.

This is the 4th year that the Guild with the assistance of AGRI-Seta has awarded these study bursaries which require outstanding marks and an excellent aptitude for winemaking.
For more info

rmation on the Guild, contact Tel: 021 852 0408 or send an email to info@capewinemakersguild.com. Students interested in applying for the Protégé Programme can visit the Guild's website at www.capewinemakersguild.com.