ABOUT
CERINA VAN NIEKERK
ABOUT
CERINA VAN NIEKERK
Raised in Paarl, in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Cerina van Niekerk grew up as an avid music lover with a deep-rooted dream of farming, inspired by cherished memories of time spent with her grandmother, Cecilia, on a Karoo farm. Pursuing this dream, she earned a Diploma in Enology from Elsenburg Agricultural College in 1998 and built her winemaking skills abroad, working vintages across France, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA.
A scholarship for the Master of Wine program broadened her horizons, fueling a journey through South Africa’s vineyard landscapes, with a focus on unique terroirs between the West Coast and the Ceres Plateau. Music was her constant companion on this journey, and in the late 2000s, her “wine baby,” Cecilia, was born—a tribute to her grandmother and an homage to Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. A few years later, Cecilia’s sister wine, Wind Band, was created, marking the same time the Cecilia Foundation PBO was established.
Through the musical themes of Cecilia and Wind Band, along with her community music activities, Cerina has beautifully intertwined her twin passions for music and wine, creating a legacy that celebrates both.
“Echoing the insights of Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, I am captivated by the vine’s remarkable ability to express the unique influences of its environment in liquid form.”
Raised in Paarl, in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Cerina van Niekerk grew up as an avid music lover with a deep-rooted dream of farming, inspired by cherished memories of time spent with her grandmother, Cecilia, on a Karoo farm. Pursuing this dream, she earned a Diploma in Enology from Elsenburg Agricultural College in 1998 and built her winemaking skills abroad, working vintages across France, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA.
A scholarship for the Master of Wine program broadened her horizons, fueling a journey through South Africa’s vineyard landscapes, with a focus on unique terroirs between the West Coast and the Ceres Plateau. Music was her constant companion on this journey, and in the late 2000s, her “wine baby,” Cecilia, was born—a tribute to her grandmother and an homage to Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. A few years later, Cecilia’s sister wine, Wind Band, was created, marking the same time the Cecilia Foundation PBO was established.
Through the musical themes of Cecilia and Wind Band, along with her community music activities, Cerina has beautifully intertwined her twin passions for music and wine, creating a legacy that celebrates both.
“Echoing the insights of Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, I am captivated by the vine’s remarkable ability to express the unique influences of its environment in liquid form.”