Whilst at Hotel School in Johannesburg, Heidi was seduced by ‘the art of the grape’ for the first time. Working as a chef in London and South Africa, she sniffed, swirled, sipped her way through the Cape Wine Academy, and fatefully found herself employed as Wine Public Relations Officer at DGB (Pty) Ltd, South Africa’s largest independent wine and spirit producer.
It did not take long to lose herself to their globally successful wine brands including Bellingham, Douglas Green and Boschendal, that she had the privilege of writing about, pouring and presenting as Group Communications Manager for local and International markets.
Sharing the stories, living the legends and experiencing the good gifts of our unique Cape terroir affected endless intrigue and inspired her CWM qualification in 2004 with her dissertation on “Modern Ecological Wine Grape Production”. However, it was that famous Yellow Widow, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin that captured Heidi’s imagination and stole her heart, making her a confirmed champagne fanatic, both professionally and privately.
After a happy decade as Public Relations Officer, and then Brand Manager for Veuve Clicquot and Krug champagne in South Africa, Heidi joined the Moët Hennessy (LVMH) team as Trade Marketing Manager. Building world class brands including Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Krug, Ruinart Champagnes as well as Hennessy Cognac, Glenmorangie Malts and Belvedere Vodka in the on and off trade market, as well as consumer relationship management exposure, propelled Heidi into the upper echelons of luxury marketing, providing invaluable experience and networking opportunities. Yet all the while, lurking in her deepest conscious is Heidi’s patriotic palate and calling to advocate the unique and exceptional qualities that wines from South Africa have to offer. Therefore, wanting not only champagne, but wine too, opened the exciting door to independence in 2009.
HeidiVine Communications is Heidi’s successful specialized wine and spirit marketing, communications and entertainment consultancy with a high profile client base.
In addition to specialized brand launches, activations and events, HeidiVine Communications offers extensive copywriting services, with particular focus on digital mediums. Heidi has a particular reputation for her expertise in champagne and sparkling wine and offers fun and fascinating bespoke corporate and private wine and spirit tasting experiences and entertainment.
Heidi is a senior lecturer at The Cape Wine Academy, is a Distinction graduate from the Wine Magazine Judging Academy, sits on various judging panels for Wine Magazine and served as an associate judge at Old Mutual Wine Trophy 2011.
