Strydom Family Wine - Prämiertes Weingut in Stellenbosch, Südafrika

Louis Strydom and Rianie Strydom are both members of the Cape Winemakers Guild, with Rianie being one of only two female members of this important guild. Rianie is regularly awarded numerous prestigious prizes and honours, both at home and abroad, for her highly endowed wines such as the pure-bred Sauvignon Blanc The Freshman and the Cuvée Strydom Vintners Retro made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Both Rianie and her husband Louis have been in the wine industry since 1994. Rianie began her career as a student at the Morgenhof Estate Winery, where she was in charge of tasting and sampling for guests and then took the position of assistant winemaker under the direction of Jéan Daneel. Just five years later, in 1999, she took up the position of cellar master at Morgenhof, which she left in 2004 to pursue other paths and take on new challenges. This new adventure was to take her to Haskell Vineyards and Dombeya Wines, where she still works as a winemaker and director of the company today.

Louis first worked as an assistant winemaker on Saxenburg before starting as a cellar master on South Africa's famous Rust en Vrede Winery in 1999, from where he played an immensely important role in the development and establishment of Guardian Peak and Ernie Els wines. Since 2010 he has been working exclusively as General Manager and winemaker for Ernie Els Wines.

Together the talented oenologist couple have three children, Jéan-Louis, Jacq and Danièle. It is still a little early to say which of the three (if not all) will follow in the footsteps of their talented parents and continue to live up to the Strydom name in South Africa's wine industry.