Startup Story
Carmen Stevens, founder of Carmen Stevens Wines Pty Ltd, is the first black person accepted to study winemaking in South Africa and qualified in 1995 as South Africa's first black winemaker. She was recognised with a Top 10 Pinotage award in 1998 for her very first red wine production. Carmen's industry awards include International Decanter Trophy winner, 2015 Winemaker of the Year California, 2018 - Winemaker of the Decade UK (Naked Wines.com). In 2019, Carmen registered the first 100 % black-and-woman owned winery in Stellenbosch, South Africa and was awarded South Africa’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017 and 2019. The Carmen Stevens NPO was registered in 2015, the foundation to date, have provided 11 622 731 plates of food to 41 363 learners at school.
LoA chatted to Carmen this month to find out more about her unique winemaking journey and her aspirations for her company and brand in the future.
What does your company do?
We craft ultra-premium wines that express the soil, sun, aspect, and people that help to make them for the pleasure of the wine lover. These wines also enable us to take care of our school learners by providing them with a breakfast and lunch every school day.
“Each and every bottle of wine carries the fingerprints of both me and the people that help me to create these wines. Our wine is the epitome of hand-made wines.”
What inspired you to start your company?
I was working as a winemaker for many years in other wine producing companies and was blessed to be awarded with amazing wine awards - these awards inspired me to have my own name on the wines/ bottles. I worked so hard to make them and proud that they carry my identity.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Each and every bottle of wine carries the fingerprints of both me and the people that help me to create these wines. Our wine is the epitome of hand-made wines. Every bunch of fruit is hand-picked, hand-sorted - our wines are hand-bottled, hand labeled and hand packed. Our wines are a true reflection of their provenance, showing depth of flavor with beautiful balance, the typicity of the cultivar, and layered palate experiences that lingers with flavor. That is why we say our wines carry our fingerprint from start to end.
“Our wines are a true reflection of their provenance, showing depth of flavor with beautiful balance, the typicity of the cultivar, and layered palate experiences that lingers with flavor. That is why we say our wines carry our fingerprint from start to end.”
Tell us a little about your team
My team consists of two cellar staff that work directly with me and who are part of the decision making for each wine. A logistics lady that looks after the administrative side and a second lady that heads-up the NPO/Foundation side of our company.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
My father is an entrepreneur who started his company many years ago. My journey started in 2011 when I decided that I had to have my own wine label that could carry the wine I make. I started very small, working only with 5 tons of fruit the first year. After I got attention for these wines, I was approached by an online wine retailer that offered to sell my wines. Our production grew to 25 tons in 2014 and today we craft 120 tons of fruit into beautiful wines.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
Having a vineyard/home for our wines - investing in a farm that we can call our house.
“These wines also enable us to take care of our school learners by providing them with a breakfast and lunch every school day.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Having the flexibility to make changes without having to consult 100s of people. Being able to be innovative in our processing, labelling and how we market our wines. Seeing how our wines makes a difference not just in our teams’ lives but the lives of so many school learners.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Be prepared to work hard. See every failure as a steppingstone and an opportunity to start over with a new perspective and insight of what might go wrong and mitigate that risk with your newfound experience.
Contact or follow Carmen Stevens Wines
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL carmen@carmenstevenswines.co.za
Why LoA loves it….
We love the fact that Carmen Stevens is creating world class wines that carry the personality of the people that make them, and reflect the unique characteristics of the place they are made. She is a passionate and proud winemaker who wants wine-lovers from around the world to have the opportunity to experience her wine with its unique provenance. Her talent for what she does, combined with her desire to make a difference in the lives of others, is an inspiration to other women entrepreneurs who aspire to make it in traditionally tough, male dominated industry sectors. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa