Junel lives in Gauteng and is a South African National Masters swimming champion. Because of her curious nature, she had to know more about this wonderful subject ‘wine’, which already started as a young girl.
She was one of the Cape Wine Academy’s first lecturers in 1979. After her marriage in 1984, she exchanged the wine-world for motherhood.
In 1995 she returned to the Cape Wine Academy, and had to re-write all the exams, since her knowledge was now outdated!
She completed the two-year Diploma course in 1998, and commenced studying for Cape Wine Master in 2000. She graduated in 2004, with her dissertation titled “Pinotage and its role in the Cape blend”.
She is still a senior lecturer for the Cape Wine Academy, and presents regular tastings, as well as food and wine evenings for corporate bodies and co-ordinate and hosts wine tastings and gourmet evenings at fine dining restaurants.
Junel has judged for Veritas and the Juliet Cullinan Wine Awards. She is involved in the marketing of a few select wineries in South Africa as well as in the East and Asia for a private winery. Twice Junel had the privilege to taste En Primeur in Bordeaux and recently agreed to do marketing for a few Champagne houses in Gauteng.
She admits that wine is inspiring and adds greatly to the joy of living!
Dissertation Topic: Pinotage and its role in the Cape blend
