#YouthMonth: Abbey Pretorius, shaping the future of South African winemaking

Abbey Pretorius , Assistant Winemaker at Franschhoek Cellar and Backsberg

Pretorius, the assistant winemaker at Franschhoek Cellar and Backsberg, is an individual whose journey to the wine industry is both inspiring and unique. From studying medicine to discovering her true calling in winemaking, Pretorius's story is a testament to following one’s passion. Here's a glimpse into what drives her, her experiences, and her vision for the future.

What inspired you to pursue a career in your current field?

Medicine surprisingly. I always thought that I wanted to become a doctor, but I quickly discovered that it wasn’t for me. I painstakingly continued for the following three years before I decided that it was time to throw in the towel and find my actual passion.

I have always been interested in animals and nature, so after leaving medicine I thought I might become a veterinarian. I did some job shadowing and to my surprise, I was not able to cope with seeing the sick/injured pets. The animals cried, then I cried (lol) and because of this, I think it’s safe to say that I just couldn’t quite stomach it.

I then decided to turn my attention to agriculture and thought about farming seeing as that would still be ticking off my nature box, but I just couldn’t see myself as a typical farmer.

Then one day, my dad, sister and I ventured to a wine farm for lunch. I looked to the vineyards and told my sister that I wished I could do "this wine farm thing" and my sister smiled, looked at me and said, "You can… at Stellenbosch". That evening I immediately went through the prospectus and low and behold, the answer to my prayers! In 2018, I started my wine journey at Stellenbosch University and I haven’t looked back since.

I’m grateful for where I am and excited about where I’m going.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in this industry?

Towards the end of my final year at university, I received a phone call from the now-retired Jacques Roux (previous marketing director of DGB) and he offered me the privilege to work as the winemaking intern at Boschendal Wines in 2022.

Jacques Viljoen, the cellar master of Boschendal, took me under his wing and showed me how truly beautiful the industry can be and how passion and kindness can transform the lives of others in this small community. I’m grateful for my time with him.

What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?

Winemakers are quite strange people with unique character quirks (myself included, lol). It has been quite intimidating at times and I think I’ve learnt that if you take the time to sort through the madness, the method will become clear. I think that stands true for day-to-day life in general, if we do our best to try and understand each other, growth is inevitable.

Being selected as one of the Winelands 30 under 30 is a significant achievement. Can you share your thoughts on what it means to be recognised among the top young professionals in the South African wine industry?

I feel very grateful for being selected and I’m not going to lie; I feel a bit of that imposter syndrome creeping in about it. I am currently still such a small spec in this industry, working hard on being the best I can be. But that being said, to honour such a small spec, motivates said small spec (me) to even more so live up to this achievement.

Can you tell us about the work and initiatives that led to your selection for the Winelands 30 under 30, and how do you see this recognition influencing your future in the wine industry?

It is quite difficult to reference the things I’ve done other than to just list my academic or managerial achievements (Certificate in wine evaluation from Stellenbosch University, awarded for runner up in the junior manager category for the Western Cape Prestige Agri Awards and being appointed as the winemaker for a new premium rosé).

However, I think I’m most proud of, and what my superiors have told me is: how I do my best to ensure premium wine quality and even more importantly I put a lot of emphasis on building positive relationships with the workers and clients. This goes back to how I view life in general, that everything is always about the people.

Where do you see yourself in five years, both personally and professionally?

I hope that I am still happy and healthy in the next five years and professionally, I hope to be known as a great winemaker who still actively pursues education and also inspires others in this industry.

What do you love most about your work?

The people. Even though I love that I can combine art and science to create a beautiful bottle of wine, I still believe that everything is always about the people. It’s people who make the wine and it's people who drink the wine, so how can they not be important in my eyes?

What advice would you give to young people considering a career in your field?

Winemaking sounds like a very intimidating career field for those who do not come from farming families. Don’t listen to that fear, you can learn anything with passion and hard work. Just do your best and you will be fine.

How can young people contribute to building a more sustainable and prosperous future?

I think sustainability starts at home, turning the lights off when you aren’t using them, closing the tap while you brush your teeth or even just advocating for your parents to trim the tree in their backyard instead of chopping it down.

All these things sound very small and silly but once you get into the habit, you can help your "neighbours" to implement some sustainability practices as well, then they will go and help their "neighbours", etc.

As you start moving up in your career you can start implementing those practices on a bigger scale and eventually, you will be able to see that more things can be done to live and work more sustainably and that is ultimately the goal, to create a better world for future generations.

What message would you like to share with South Africa’s youth this Youth Month?

Be kind, and not just to others but also to yourself. Life can sometimes feel tough and unforgiving, but by doing one kind thing for someone else or ourselves, one can make the world a better place. Hate spreads, but so does love, so let’s rather lead with the latter.