Stephanie Joubert (28) grew up in the Constantia Valley, where she developed an interest in product life cycles. She started a BSc in food science at Stellenbosch University, but soon realised she couldn’t imagine working in a lab full-time. Agriculture seemed much more appealing, so she enrolled for modules in soil science and viticulture. By the end of her second year, she’d switched to viticulture and oenology.

After graduating, she had the privilege of pursuing an MSc in wine and spirits business management at the Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France. As the course only started in August 2022, she had time to complete a second South African harvest before heading to Dijon. Studying abroad was a wonderful opportunity to connect with people and, of course, Burgundy was an incredible experience, she says. “I have a clear direction and once I put my mind to something, I’m very good at supporting myself.”

The theoretical part of the master’s course included a year of lectures and exams covering law, finance, sales and distribution, while the last six months were devoted to a thesis. She planned to stay in France after her studies, which would require some savings, so she applied for an internship at a fine-wine yacht provisioning company in the south of France. It was a full-time job, however, so she had to find a way to combine it with her studies. The solution was to write her thesis on the wine preferences of the ultra-rich to help fine wine producers better understand them as consumers. “With these individuals, you’re always speaking to an intermediary, such as an agent or personal assistant, which complicates knowing what they want,” she says.

She also completed WSET Level 2 (Spirits) and Level 3 (Wines) as part of her master’s degree and did so well that she was recommended for a Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation scholarship. In August last year, she registered for the WSET Level 4 Diploma as one of two global recipients of the scholarship. With three more exams to still complete for her diploma, her goal for now is to finish it and then it’s on to the next challenge. “That’s one thing about me: I’m always happy, but I’m never satisfied,” she quips.

She would love to try her hand at making a private-label Cap Classique one day, but there’s still a lot of work to do in marketing. “We make incredible wine in South Africa, but wineries need to understand their target markets better and improve their focus. Sales is one of the hardest things to do, and many wineries still fumble their marketing, sales and distribution.”

It was her desire to give back that prompted her to turn down a full-time position at the yacht company and return to South Africa. “So much of our education goes overseas and I would like to see what I can do to help put South Africa on the map,” she says.

In December last year, she was recruited as an account manager at Great Domaines. “The South African and global brands in their portfolio are just unbelievable,” she says. “It’s exactly the kind of wines I want to drink and the kind of wines I can feel confident putting in front of people.”

Rapid fire Q&A

  • Red, white or bubbles? Bubbles, definitely. I love the method and tradition behind it and we do it really well in South Africa.
  • One thing that always makes you laugh? The Office.
  • Who in the wine world inspires you the most? Yvette van der Merwe, president of the OIV.
  • Your hidden talent outside of wine? I’m a pretty good cook. I’ve also taken up golf, gardening, tennis and padel.
  • One word that describes the SA wine industry? Evolving.

Social media

Instagram:@joubert_stephLinkedIn: Stephanie Joubert