Lauren Segers-Jewell | Wine and Women

An interview with Lauren Segers-Jewell in celebration of South African Women's Month. We discuss her slow-burn wine origin, certification versus experience, imposter syndrome, empowering young people and transformation, life goals, and wine.

You joined WineCellar as part of their Skills Challenge Internship program (such a great initiative). But how did you find wine, or wine find you? Please tell me your wine origin story.

There are many parts to my wine origin story. I never used to drink. In varsity I'd maybe tried vodka and a couple of shots, but that was it. I wasn't interested.

CoGW: Lauren completed a triple major at UCT in Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Film and Sociological Sciences. She started working at Steenberg Bistro 1682 to supplement her  study financial aid, at some point working three jobs simultaneously.

Jolette Steyn [with whom Lauren now works alongside at WineCellar] was the assistant winemaker and JD Pretorius was the winemaker at Steenberg. They’d host training sessions and presentations that I loved because of my studies. John Loubser, the GM at the time, noticed me staring at the vineyards and soils during quiet times. We'd walk through the vineyards; he'd show me the microclimates, and tell me about the stories and the history. We’d dig into the soil, digging as deep as we could to see the different layers. I tasted the wines afterwards and started to understand. But I still wasn't really drinking. I didn't see the magic in the bottle, but I saw the magic in the soils and in the vineyards.

CoGW: Steenberg may not have fully ignited a flame for wine, but it ignited a different flame.

Steenberg was also where I met my now husband, Dust, who was a pastry chef at Bistro 1682, and fell deeply and madly in love with him on the first day that we met.

I was still saving money to pursue a Masters in Town Planning. Dust had returned from a work abroad program in America; the opportunity to travel while earning money. So I left for Florida where I met someone studying for their Certified Sommelier qualification. I started helping her study; I was like, ‘Wait, what do you do? You get paid to serve people wine? Is that actually a job?’.

I loved the content. It was so interesting learning about the world and feeling like you're travelling through one book. My sommelier friend gave me my first wine book which I still have, Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible. .

CoGW: Lauren turned to her bookshelf and proudly pulled out her well-thumbed book.

It's messed up because I’ve read it so many times and have made notes in it.

CoGW: Lauren completed WSET Level One in Atlanta. Wanting a proper challenge she passed the Introductory Sommelier exam three months later. She moved to North Carolina to become a restaurant and beverage manager, and managed their drinks portfolio. Once she'd returned to Florida she worked as an assistant sommelier who’d also be a server during night shifts.

It was great. I made extra money. And waitressing made much better tips. This money helped me start studying for my certified exam. I bought the CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) books, though I never found time to write the exam. But I wanted the knowledge and studied the books every night after work...sometimes until 3am… when everybody else around me was partying. I had folders and folders. I've still got all my files, all my maps and notes. This is what truly got me started in wine.

I began my South African journey after coming home and working for Wine Cellar. And now I'm fully in love with wine. It's in my blood. It's in my bones. It's everything at the moment.

CoGW: Lauren has gone on to acquire a WSET Level 3 certificate, has graduated from the Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy, and has just finished the UCT GSB Business of Wine course.

your thirst for wine knowledge is unquenchable! WORKING in the wine industry gives you access to the greatest South African wines and an extensive import list. Have you learned more through formal education, or through real life tastings and interactions with producers and the knowledgeable wine community? 

It's a combination of both. I love information. I love absorbing knowledge whenever and wherever I can. When it comes to wine, all these qualifications formed an incredible base of understanding that's quite broad. 

But having the opportunity to taste as often as I do (I taste wine every day…I started work in the second week of January and by the end of the month I’d tasted over a hundred wines already) and being able to taste in context with people who know more than I do has been beneficial, whether it's the producer or with James [James Pieterson, CEO of Wine Cellar], Christian Eedes, or Jolette Steyn. Especially when it comes to South African wines in the context of international wines. Wine Cellar offers such a variety of wines and great examples of it that you actually get to have context.

I think that education and tasting is one way to learn as much as possible. Qualifications were a great basis, but experience has given me focused expertise.

The more you learn, obviously, the less you feel you know. When you taste as often as I do, it becomes instinctual…and I’ve only just started to get it. In the beginning I’d ask, ‘what do you think and what do you reference it with?’. I struggled to make that connection. But now I know a Swartland Chenin Blanc, why it’s a Swartland Chenin, and what makes it Swartland Chenin. You need that basis of knowledge so that you can almost have a map in your head that you're drilling down from; it gives you guidance and confidence in the way you talk about wine.

CoGW: I commented that I hate when people say ‘you just need to taste more’. And we agreed that sure, you need to taste more…but it needs to be thoughtful, intentional, and with context.

You’re a ray of sunshine in any room. I’ve noticed that you beam that same light through your Instagram stories, highlighting and supporting an array of producers and events. Is showcasing/supporting/sharing these stories intentional?

It's very intentional, but not intentional. My stories come from a place of emotion, compassion, and authenticity. I wouldn't say that I put a lot of thought into my pictures, but I put a lot of feeling into it. And I hope that that comes across. If I have a great experience, I share it because it excites me. If I'm not in a good space, I won’t post…because I wear my heart on my sleeve.

CoGW: Lauren stands out to me because her stories are so authentic. They’re memorable snippets of her real life…and her full life of which wine is only one fragment. It’s pure stoke and the desire to share her experiences.

That's all I really want to come across. It's as though I'm having a conversation with someone…it just happens to be a conversation with many people in my stories. Sometimes I’m shocked by the number of views my stories get. I'm like, holy shit, why are there so many people looking at my stories?

You taste some phenomenal wines from around the world! Women tend to coax rather than rely on brute force in everyday life, they’ve learned to adapt their techniques to achieve the same end result. Have you noticed a difference in the taste and feel of wines made by women?

I understand why some people feel this way. A friend was asking whether the winemaker has any actual influence if the machine is the one pressing the grapes? I told them that, in theory, one might notice this more with red wines because it comes down to punch-downs and extractions. A man has a lot more weight behind him and punch-downs will be heavier. Whereas females have a less weight behind them, so that'll be a softer punch-down.

But, essentially, it's less about whether you are male or female and more about the style of wine that you make - the decisions you make in the vineyard and in the winery.

on that note - what are your thoughts about including gender when referencing winemakers. Is it a good thing that we sometimes specify ‘woman winemaker’ or ‘female winemaker’, versus just being ‘the winemaker’. 

I think that noting that there are great female winemakers at the fore of our success in the wine industry is amazing. But overusing it and using it as a sales technique really loses its authenticity and almost discredits the winemaker.

“She's great because she's a great winemaker. The wine is great because she is a great winemaker. The fact that she's female is just a fucking plus.”

How do you think SA is doing in terms of diversity and opportunity equity? You get to view the wine loving community from a different perspective. What do you think of the representation at the moment, in terms of the winemakers, who is in the cellar, people who attend your tastings, judging panels...?

I'm going to give a very broad perspective. I think about this a lot, especially being a person of colour who has fair skin. People don't realise I'm a person of colour until they ask me where my accent is from? Cape Flats - that's where my accent is from! I find it really interesting. 

CoGW: I’d mentioned that I’ve noticed that diversity is regional. In the CBD, there’s more. In the winelands, there’s less. But, disturbingly, at large events, people of colour are still noticeably in the minority.

I agree with you; the diversity at bigger events out in the winelands is not as diverse as it is here [suburbs in and around Cape Town CBD], especially in terms of colour. In terms of female representation, it's definitely increased and it's doing so well.

When I sit in important meetings I sometimes sit back and notice that I'm the only female. And often, I'm the only person of colour. But it also excites me because it means that this is a victory. This is an end because I give so many more people an end.

We have to realise, as a country, that such monumental change doesn't happen overnight.. In a city, it happens quicker, but farmlands are still majority white-owned. And the legacies now that are going to be left behind. Maybe in the next 30, 40, 50 years, is when we'll see diversity and a better representation of South Africa. I'm excited about that as this is our opportunity to start opening the doors so that the next generations don't have to work as hard to get there. 

If you think about it, black owned brands or black owned farms are only the first generations. They're still getting to their second and third generations. Other farms have generations of amazing farming history. These are the most exciting times because black owned brands are increasing. But things take time, especially in wine. We must have patience, drive and ambition to do what needs to be done, do it well, and it will open up everything for you.

What I am excited about, especially with my tasting group, The Vineyard Tales, is seeing where they are penetrating and the doors being opened for them. It's incredible. I know that it will be easier for their children if they choose the same path. Our families now have access to an industry that was very white dominated. It's taken 30 years to get here. It's going to take another 30, 60 years.

This is also why I'm trying to get as many young people into the industry as possible and drinking wine. Because yes, they're drinking less, but they want to drink better. They will drink great wine. And if we give them the platform and the way to really move forward, they will get where they want to be. They will start opening more doors, and it infiltrates as long as you are learning from the right people and you are in the right space. But it's also up to people to grab the opportunities and not wait for them to be handed to them on a silver platter. Work for what you want. Push for what you want. Take what you want.

CoGW: I was surprised by how the things that Lauren was saying now were the exact things said about my generation over 32 years ago. I was told that I’d be that generation. My friends’ kids were told that they would be that generation. My friend’s kids are just about ready to start thinking about having their own children. So it was a little deflating to hear that we’re still waiting for the next generation? As much as Lauren’s enthusiasm was exhilarating…Lauren IS my generation’s grown up kid.

But we also spoke about how owning a farm isn’t the only measure of successful change. Hence our mutual admiration for independent producers who feel more relatable when they’re purchasing fruit and renting cellars. Lauren mentioned that roughly 13% of farms are profitable. Owning swathes of land comes with greater responsibility and stress. Therefore, learning how to potentially manage a farm/business will prepare us for the day when land ownership is possible…be ready to seize the opportunity to build generational wealth.

You mentioned that you’re sometimes the only woman at the table. Do you ever feel impostor syndrome? And how do you think we overcome that?

When you’re young, kids are mean and you learn very quickly that you don't know who to trust. At that moment I decided I've just got to pretend like I don't give a shit about what they're going to say about me because they're going to say shit about me anyway. So I'd go home and cry about it if I needed to and if it really hurt me I'd talk to my parents. But other than that, you kind of just carry on. That's when I started realising, okay, if I'm going to make it, I've got to just fake that I'm okay and that I'm confident.

That's what I do now. I'm very strategic in what I do. I’ll be quiet for a long time. I'm also a very research driven person: I’ll do all my research first and learn as much as possible first. I also make sure that I understand the situation that I'm in, learn about the people so that I know who I can speak in front of so that I can adapt to them. And then I start showing pieces of myself.

LAUREN recommenDED MOMENTO GRENACHE NOIR. tell me about the wine and why you’ve chosen it.

Marelise Niemann is one of my biggest inspirations. She's one of my favourite people in the wine industry. She's an incredible human being: so authentic, so kind. I visited her at the farm when I’d been at Wine Cellar for about a year. I'd never met her before, but we had such a lekker afternoon tasting for two hours. It was such a real moment. I thought: this woman is so in tune with me. It was such an authentic, genuine experience. When she asked if I’d like to work a harvest I said yes and used my two weeks of leave to work alongside her. I learned so much from spending so much time together. The Bot River community have become some of my favourite people in the industry. I check in with them all the time and chat all the time. It’s amazing. 

I chose the Momento because Marelise is the epitome of what it means to have work-life balance, be super educated, be super inspired by the vines…but also do the hard work. She's not scared of hard work. She does whatever needs to be done. She makes it work. She still has time for her family, and for people like me. I’ll phone her when I have a big decision to make and she’ll listen and chat and help me make a clear decision in my life. It's amazing to have someone who's just so real with you all the time.

She's the queen of Grenache in all forms: Noir, Gris and Blanc. 

Not enough people make great Grenache in South Africa and it is something really special in terms of our climate and climate change. When you get it right, it ages so beautifully. You want to see what it's going to be like in 10 years - embrace every moment of its evolution because it's going to change so much. It changes so much in the glass already. It's probably completely different to when I tasted it last year.

CoGW: Lauren confirmed an orange rind note that I’d picked up on. She said: 

For me, some of the best Grenaches smell like a Negroni. I want it to smell like a Negroni, but not have as much of a thick palate as a Negroni. So it's got to have a little Campari bitterness, and a bit of orange rind.

What’s the wine dream? In 15-20 years…where is Lauren and what is she doing?

My goal is to be fully retired. But retirement isn't retired - retirement means not working because I have to work. I'll be working because I want to work and doing all the things I love. The big dream is to have land for my entire family where each family has their own plot, and everyone can contribute to the farm by doing what they love. If one family is very animal driven, they'll take care of the animals. The other family may grow veggies, or tend to the vines, or care for the soils.

I never knew this, but it was my dad's dream as well. Each time I mentioned the dream my uncles, aunts, and my mom all say I sound just like my father. He used to talk about this all the time.

So that's the ultimate goal: to have all our families be living together and have a place that's there that they can never lose. That  there's always a place to go home to. Because when you don't come from a lot, you've lost a lot. And having a home base where your children, your grandchildren, the great grandchildren, everyone can just come too. I think it's pretty incredible. And that's the main dream one day.

If that doesn’t happen, it needs to at least be a big enough space with the family and friends living close enough so that they can all grow together. That's what life's about. It’s about the people that you love. And getting to share wine with them is pretty amazing.

What’s the thing you love most about wine - the thing that you wish that everyone (who wants to) could experience?

The thing I love most about wine is the way it brings people together. It's the joy of life. It adds to your experience. When you share a great bottle of wine with people, fine wine specifically, it has a different X factor because it ignites conversation…it ignites intrigue.

When you drink that wine on its own, yes it’s nice. When you drink it with people, it's exceptional. It elevates your experience every single time. I had that feeling recently when we were sharing wine at Savage. Just sitting back and looking at the room. Seeing the youngsters from the office and the ou ballies [old men] engaging with wine and talking about it. Everyone is so joyous and their eyes light up. They want to talk about, ‘Did you taste this? Did you taste that in the wine?’. And it's just…it's magic. 

Wine and food bring people together more than anything. Food tastes better and wine tastes better when you’re surrounded by great people. So you shouldn't be tasting alone, really, like you can, but what's going to elevate that is tasting together and tasting with people and engaging in fun conversations and serious conversations. That's what I want everyone to experience in life: the magic.

"Food tastes better and wine tastes better when you’re surrounded by great people."

Bonus question: do you have any wine tattoos?

I've only got one wine tattoo that’s also related to my dad. It’s a little wine farm with bush vines - the dream. It has a cellar and a house and it's got these long trees. Marelise calls them funeral trees. She laughed when I told her those are my favourite trees. I found out after my dad died that it was also his favourite tree, which I never even knew. And so, I love it even more because it reminds me of where we're going in terms of owning land and having space for the family.

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Outside of her day job, Lauren is also active and relevant (arguably one of the most relevant SA wine people on Stories) on Instagram - 100% worth following to be kept in the know about what's hot and happening, as well as snippets from her fun life. She is bylaurensegersjewell on Insta.

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