The presence of female winemakers within the winemaking industry has seen a consistent and encouraging upward trajectory over the past few years. This is a testament to the increasing recognition of the immense talent, skill, and unique perspective women bring to the craft, challenging past norms that often confined winemaking to a male-dominated space. Female winemakers are now helming established estates, founding successful new ventures, and achieving critical acclaim for their distinctive and high-quality wines across major wine regions. Kiara Scott Farmer is one such individual, she is currently the Head winemaker at Hazendal Wine Farm. At the age of 26 Kiara was appointed Head wine maker at another prominent estate and was the youngest female Head wine maker in South Africa at the time.
A testament to her skill and success came in 2024 when she was honoured with the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award. This prestigious win serves to solidify her reputation as one of the country's leading wine professionals and underscores the quality and influence of her work within the competitive South African wine landscape. In an exclusive interview Kiara shares a typical day in her life and shares what it takes to be a great winemaker.
Glamour: Can you explain what a typical work day entails?
Kiara: A typical workday really depends on the season, but during harvest you’ll find me in the vineyards from 6am, sampling grapes straight off the vine and picking alongside my team to make sure we’re selecting only the best, most flavourful grapes. If it’s a processing day, I’ll head over to the Hazendal Cellar to oversee the sorting of grapes into the right tanks and the various activities associated with the early stages of fermentation.
I’m very strict about hygiene, as is each member of my team, so there’s also plenty of cleaning, checking, and re-checking equipment — winemaking is definitely not as glamorous as it looks, no matter how senior you are! And in between all of that, there’s the usual admin: emails, budgets, corresponding with industry bodies, and keeping an eye on the sales and marketing strategies for our wines.
G: What challenges or obstacles have you faced in becoming an award winning winemaker?
K: As a woman in a male-dominated industry like wine, you already have to work twice as hard. And then add motherhood into the mix and it becomes a whole new ballgame. While it’s the greatest blessing in my life, being both a mom and a Head Winemaker comes with a set of responsibilities that many of my male peers will simply never have to think about. You come home after a long day in the vineyards or the cellar… and then your second shift begins.
But I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a strong support system and wonderful mentors - both personally and professionally - who’ve helped me navigate those challenges. I’m also grateful for the obstacles I’ve faced; they’ve shaped me just as much as the successes.
G: In your career journey who has helped guide you on your pathway to success?
K: My family is close-knit, and they’ve always been there to guide me and remind me of my own strength when things get tough. More recently, fellow winemaker Jolandie Fouché of Wolf & Woman Wines has become an incredible friend, as someone I can talk to honestly about the realities of balancing winemaking and motherhood, and about staying true to yourself.
G: What natural abilities do potential winemakers need to possess to be a winemaker and what can be taught?
The science of winemaking can absolutely be taught: the steps, the formulas, the techniques you need to make a halfway decent bottle. But becoming great rather than just good is something else entirely. Most people would point to the obvious natural abilities: a refined palate and a sharp sense of smell. And yes, those matter. But I also believe greatness comes from trusting your instincts and being able to adapt.
Adaptability is essential, because no two harvests are ever the same and nature loves throwing curveballs. To truly excel in winemaking, you also have to love the work, the real, hands-on, often gritty parts of it. If you don’t, it’ll wear you down quickly, because wine isn’t a nine-to-five job. It’s a pursuit of pure passion.
G: Out of all the accolades you've received which has been the most significant?
K: Winning the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year in 2024 is undoubtedly the most significant. I was both the youngest woman to ever win the award at the age of 32, and the first woman of colour. I hope that through this win, it shows other young, aspiring woman winemakers what is possible.
G: What advice do you have for aspiring female winemakers?
K: While I’m still relatively young in my career, the wine industry for women today is already worlds apart from what it was when I started. A decade ago, many of us felt we had to emulate our male counterparts — khaki clothes, veldskoene, the whole look. There were maybe one or two women who dared to keep their personal style and embrace their femininity at work.
It’s incredibly comforting now to chat to the new generation of young female winemakers entering the industry and see them owning what it took many of us years to realise: you don’t have to change who you are to be accepted, and you certainly don’t have to follow someone else’s path.
With that in mind, my three pieces of advice are:
- If you don’t have a plan for your life, you’ll end up following someone else’s.
- Take the time to really get to know yourself, and do what you can while you can.
- And finally, anything worth doing comes with challenges — so be bold.
G: As we approach the festive season, which white wine will you be serving your guests?
K: My holiday guests will be lucky enough to get a sneak preview of my first white wine for Hazendal Wine Estate – the Bottelary Hills Sauvignon Blanc, which will be available from January 2026. A vibrant, flinty white with crisp acidity – perfect for long, hot days!
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