Burgundy exchange students praise South African winemaking

by Giselle Terblanche, gisellet@elsenburg.com

Two French exchange students, Jean Orsoni and Vincent Liéval, recently spent three weeks in the Western Cape as part of the Burgundy Exchange Programme. They said that their visit to South Africa introduced them to “amazing wine and an amazing country” and that they will definitely be returning in future. Both students spent two weeks at a host farm and one week at Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute (EATI – part of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture [WCDoA]) as part of the Western Cape/Bourgogne-FrancheComté (BFC) Exchange Programme. During this time, they were exposed to various winemaking techniques and acquired new management skills. The visit was facilitated by the WCDoA. Jean and Vincent are winemaking students at CFPPA Training Institute in Beaune, Burgundy and both feel the time spent in the Western Cape added greatly to their winemaking knowledge.

Jean (28) said he wanted to experience the difference between wine production in South Africa and France.

“In France the wine farms are much smaller and the farmer and winemaker is often the same person. In South Africa it is two different people, each with his/her own team, and the estates are very well equipped.” He was also impressed with the new generation winemakers he met. “They are very innovative and are using their skills and overseas experience to try new things.” He spent time at Jordan Wine Estate, after which he moved on to Elsenburg, where he experienced his first harvest.

Vincent (39) said the visit to South Africa helped to equip him to manage his family’s vineyard one day. He was first placed at KWV before moving to Elsenburg, where he experienced his first harvest.

In their spare time they also had the opportunity to do some sightseeing and visited popular tourist attractions such as Table Mountain, Bo-Kaap, Muizenberg, Kirstenbosch, and the Waterfront. They describe South Africans as very friendly and welcoming.

As part of the programme, cellar workers from the Western Cape will visit Bourgogne in France in September to learn more about viticulture and winemaking techniques.

WHAT IS THE BURGUNDY EXCHANGE PROGRAMME?

The Western Cape Government and the Regional Council BFC have shared prolific bilateral relations since the Thuthukile Skweyiya Burgundy Exchange agreement was concluded in 2000. Its main objective is to motivate young people to improve their social status through education and training, made possible through a common commitment by participants, professionals and politicians of these two regions.

The commitment was renewed in 2011 with the signing of a new five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU). However, this MoU expired in 2016, even though the projects have continued to be implemented without a formal framework. Historically, the agreement focused on the cooperation in the agricultural sector. However, in the 2011 MoU the areas of cooperation were expanded to include emerging areas such as sport, the environment, and economic development.

During 2016, the Region of Bourgogne merged with the FrancheComté region. It is now known as Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. This merger presents new opportunities for the renewal of the agreement between the two regions. In 2017, the Vice President for International Relations, Tourism and European Funds, Mr Patrick Ayache, visited the Western Cape to reaffirm bilateral relations between the two regions and to discuss the new twinning arrangement. The MoU was renewed in July 2018. AP