SOUTH AFRICA – The South African partnership in wine production, Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons has appointed JC Bekker, with 24 years of experience in the wine industry as its new CEO.

According to Business Day, his appointment follows years of career development in SA’s wine including various placements in the winery management, wine making and viticulture.

He succeeds Schalk-Willem Joubert who resigned as CEO from the company effective May to take up a position at Helderberg property Cordoba after a career of 20 years in the industry.

He is a holder of BSc Honours degrees in oenology and viticulture (cum laude) from the University of Stellenbosch and a post graduate diploma in wine management practice from the Universities of Adelaide and Cape Town.

Before, he had spent 22 years of his career South African liquor company DGB where he was cellar master of the group’s flagship Boschendal winery before heading up all the extensive wine making activities within DGB.

Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons is a new comer in the industry, having opened in October 2014 in South Africa.

Its menu includes the wine and two variations on food and wine tasting menus focused on either local Rupert & Rothschild wines or wines of the world.

It has renowned labels of drinks in SA, France, Argentina and New Zealand.