Wine personality of the day

South Africa’s only resident Master of Wine, Cathy is Panel Chair wine judge for International Wine Challenge and a regular judge for the Trophy Wine Show, occasional panelist for several other local competitions and, increasingly, overseas. Co-founder of Grape, she contributes to international magazines and websites, and lectures for the Cape Wine Academy on Tasting and World of Wine Theory. She is currently a member of the Institute of Masters of Wine’s education committee responsible for organising its seminar for second-year students in Bordeaux. Before entering the world of wine, Cathy was a journalist for finance publications having graduated from the University of Witwatersrand. Her wine journey began on a bicycle when she asked her husband to ride the country’s famed Argus Cycle Tour with her; he agreed but, on the condition that she attend a wine course with him. She has since notched up over 21 Cycle Tours and gone on to become the first South African to successfully pass the Master of Wine examinations while living on the tip of Africa.