The
People
Hannes Myburgh
Proprietor
Hannes Myburgh, eighth generation owner of Meerlust, graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in French and English in 1982, before studying winemaking at Geisenheim in Germany. Hannes worked at Chateau Lafite in France and Von Oetinger in Germany.
Wim Truter
Cellarmaster / Managing Director
Wim Truter was appointed Cellar Master/Manager at Meerlust in May 2020. Wim holds a degree in Chemistry, Oenology and Viticulture from the University of Stellenbosch. He then pursued the international MSc Vintage qualification in Vine, Wine and Terroir Management that included stints studying at the Ecole Superieur d’Agriculture, Angers, France, the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia in Valencia Spain. He is assisted by winemaker Altus Treurnicht and the cellar team and in the vineyards by viticulturist Izak Basson and his team.
Altus Treurnicht
Winemaker
Our winemaker Altus Treurnicht grew up on the Cape west coast. He completed his winemaking studies at Elsenburg Agricultural College in 2005, after which he worked a harvest in 2006 in Sonoma County, and in 2009 in St Emillion. In 2007, he achieved his diploma in viticulture. Altus was appointed as assistant winemaker to Chris Williams, and later rejoined as winemaker in 2018. He is assisted in the cellar by a proficient cellar team, and works jointly with viticulturist Izak Basson.
Izak Basson
Viticulturist
Izak Basson joined Meerlust in 2015 to assist our late Viticulturist, Roelie Joubert. Originally from Piketberg, his love for farming started during his school going career. Although he began his studies in teaching at CPUT in Wellington, he changed over to Agricultural studies in his second year. Izak graduated with a diploma in Agriculture from CPUT in 2010, after which he farmed with table grapes for a few seasons before moving over to wine.
Deidre Taylor
Sales & Marketing Manager
Deidre Taylor joined Meerlust in 2024, after 10 years as head of sales and marketing for Kanonkop Wine Estate. Deidre graduated from Stellenbosch University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, and went on to complete her Cape Wine Academy Diploma in 2008, as well as the Wine & Spirit Education trust DipWSET in 2023. She is assisted by Heidi Kritzinger (Private Clients & Tasting Room)
Adriaan Visagie
Financial Manager
Adriaan Visagie is a seasoned Financial Manager with 25 years of extensive experience in financial leadership and strategic oversight. He was born and raised in Stellenbosch, where he completed his Honours Degree in Management Accounting, and has managed financial operations across a diverse range of sectors including Mining, Fishing and Citrus Farming, building a reputation for precision and professional excellence.
Adriaan joined Meerlust in 2023, after almost 7 years at the KWV, as the Head of Finance for the Estate. He is assisted by Yolanda Joubert in Procurement and Creditors and Esmé Nothnagel (Export Logistics).
Social Responsibility
Sustainability Institute
Meerlust partners with the Sustainability Institute, a multifaceted community project at Lynedoch, 6 km from the farm.
The Sustainability Institute began in 1999 as a centre where people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds could live and learn together in an ecologically restorative community. It is a fascinating place, a bustling rural centre driving an ethos of environmental and agricultural sustainability where creativity and innovation are abundant, from the eco-friendly materials used for the social, educational and sporting facilities right through to the art projects on display for all to see.
Here, social investment and environmental restoration intertwine, fostering hope, imagination and creativity among the people who live, work and study there. With its proximity to the farm and the exceptional quality of childcare and schooling offered, the Sustainability Institute is an important local asset. The children of Meerlust’s employees are transported daily to Lynedoch, where they receive free pre-school care and complete primary-school education. Meerlust also contributes annually to the running costs of the school.
The Lynedoch Children’s House is a dedicated pre-school for children from the surrounding area. It follows a Montessori approach to learning and growth, catering for children up to three years old, and offers pre-school education for those between three and six years old.
Once they reach primary school age, learners attend the Sustainability Institute Montessori primary school for learners from grades one to seven. Transport, meals and social support are provided and, as per the institute’s values, the school ensures integrated and ecologically focused learning and nature-based play. The children also participate in growing and harvesting organic vegetables grown on the premises, fostering in them an early awareness of the vital role of sustainability in agriculture, nature and the world around them. These values set them up for a future in which a sustainable mindset is non-negotiable for any community dependent on the agricultural sector.
With regard to Meerlust’s workforce, regular training initiatives give them the chance to improve their skills, professionally empowering them for their work on Meerlust and opening the door to further opportunities. One of these initiatives, the South African Wine Cellar Assistants’ Programme, contributes to knowledge transfer by creating permanently employed cellar assistants in the wine industry. The programme hosts information days and workshops in participating districts, with constantly updated industry-relevant training.
The aim is to add value to the participants’ practical astuteness, resulting in an ever- increasing knowledge of winemaking procedures. It has been established that participation in the programme leads to greater reliability, personal growth and increased confidence among participating cellar assistants, which in turn leads to improved problem reporting and fewer errors in the cellar.
Compagniesdrift
After leaving Meerlust, on the way to Lynedoch, an imposing modern building named Compagniesdrift is visible on the right-hand side. Built on land that formerly belonged to Meerlust, Compagniesdrift is often quoted as a model for black economic empowerment (BEE) in the South African wine industry, having been established in the first decade of the millennium as a vision between the Myburgh Family Trust and the Meerlust Farmworkers’ Trust.
Ilse Ruthford, the current CEO of Compagniesdrift, has been involved with the project from its inception. She was part of the initial planning meetings in 2009, three years after joining the Meerlust team, where her work revolved around the administration of international wine exports.
