More photos from this internship can be found here.
Work in this growing winery outside of Cape Town, either in business and marketing or in the winery operations and production.
Gain valuable professional experience at a reputable organization in this key industry in South Africa.
Interns will be placed at one of the many dynamic, entrepreneurial Cape Town area wineries depending on winery need and availability and the applicant's suitability.
According to Wines of South Africa (http://www.wosa.co.za): "The Cape wine growing areas, situated in the narrow viticultural zone of the southern hemisphere, mainly have a Mediterranean climate and the mountain slopes and valleys form the ideal habitat for the wine grape Vitis vinifera, the products of which have given pleasure to man for many centuries. Long, sun-drenched summers and mild, wet winters contribute to the ideal conditions for viticulture at the Cape... Liberated by the advent of democracy, the South African wine industry has gone from strength to strength, with exports growing by 335% between 1995 and 2007."
"The wine industry in South Africa is undergoing an exciting period of change, both in the vineyard and in the winery. Winemakers are experimenting with new varieties of vine, as well as new clones of existing varietals such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Large-scale experimentation with rootstocks is taking place to establish which planting material is particularly suited to conditions at the Cape, co-ordinated by the Vine Improvement Board.
As in other New World countries, viticulturists are hard at work matching vine varieties to soils and meso-climates in order to achieve the best results. Vineyard life in South Africa is similar to Europe's although South Africa's viticultural year begins in September. While preparations for the vintage are being made in Europe, the vines in South Africa are just beginning to bud.
January in the Cape heralds the beginning of summer and, as the temperatures increase, early grape varieties begin to ripen. The bulk of the harvest takes place in February and the sugar/acid ratio of the grapes is checked daily so that each variety is harvested at optimum ripeness. In most South African vineyards harvesting is carried out by hand, although machines are used on some farms. The grapes are picked into baskets and transported in bins to the winery where vinification begins."
There are two separate internship possibilities within the Cape Town wineries.
Marketing and Business Administration:
As a marketing and business administrative intern, you will be involved in the process of marketing the wine label. You will also participate in the behind-the-scenes administrative process that keeps a wine estate operational. Wineries will occasionally host special events and interns will be expected to participate in such functions. Overall, this internship will give you a great feel for the inter-workings of a South African wine estate and the delicate task of marketing a wine label. Those who apply for this internship should enjoy working with a team and not hesitate to get their hands dirty when asked to do so. An intern should also appreciate the difference between a good and bad tasting wine!
Viticulture:
The viticulture internship position is for an applicant interested in wine making. As a viticulture intern, you will participate in the grape harvest and experience the wine making process from vine to bottle. Since the harvest season takes place between January and April, this is a seasonal internship position. Similar to the marketing internship description, expect to gain a unique understanding of the wine making process that the normal wine
Estimated One-Time Expenses
Estimated Monthly Expenses
The Host Site Fee Includes:
Interns will be accommodated in private student-oriented housing in the Observatory neighborhood. Interns will have a fully-furnished private room, and shared common areas: living room, bathroom, kitchen and laundry facilities. Houses have 24-hour security. A housekeeper comes at least 2 times a week.
Interns pay a $100 cleaning fee and a $250 refundable housing deposit, directly to the housing company. The $250 deposit will be refunded, assuming there is no damage done to the house.
House Wifi: Students pay $20.00 per month for wireless internet connection on 2 devices. Internet reliability and speed are not as good as in the U.S.
Other Costs: Other utilities costs are split amongst the housemates.
The marketing and business internship is available year-round. The viticulture internship is only available January through April, when the Cape’s grape harvest occurs
“Outside the culture of work in South Africa, the biggest benefit of my internship at Constantia Uitsig was the people. Each day I got to work with wonderful people, who each had their own story and own experiences to share. …I was also given a good deal of freedom at work, something that I think lacks in many US offices. My project was mine and only mine for the most part. I was expected to figure it out on my own, which at times was difficult but in the end rewarding. When I needed help or guidance my co-workers were there but most days it was just me, Google, and my marketing proposal. The final product is shaped of my own hand, intellect, and creativity and something I will be able to proudly bring with me into the working world at home…”
“I would recommend to future students, go in blind yet with an open mind and open heart. Let the culture and people peel away your presumptions to build a true knowledge and understanding. Don’t let the American ways drag you down or haunt you but accept who you are and use your skills and talents to shape your overall experience….”
-Kelsey Ivey, University of Oregon
“I’m in the back of a stinky old pickup, driving at breakneck speeds around windy country roads. I tried to laugh about it on the outside but on the inside I was dying. What the hell am I doing here? What did I get myself into? This was my first trip to Constantia Glen. But finally we made it, and we drove up the hill and around the corner and there it was. This winery that I had been fantasizing about, pouring over their website day after day, but the pictures didn’t even come close to capturing how perfect it was. I thought I was just coming in for a quick meeting with my internship supervisor but little did I know, this was my first full day of work. It was crazy. Being a Friday, naturally it was slammed with guests and before I knew it I was seating people, getting them drinks, opening bottles and most importantly, tasting wine. I was so overwhelmed with the day, but looking back now I know that I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It was the kind of craziness I needed to jumpstart my passion.”
“To anyone who is looking to travel and experience what the world looks like outside of the States, I would suggest Cape Town or just South Africa in general. It is and always will be one of the most amazing things I chose to do with my life and I just want everyone to go there and experience the things I did so I can stop trying to explain it, because I do it no justice.”
-Jessica Atherton, University of Oregon
“At Constantia Glen I wear many different hats every day. First and foremost, I am the marketing intern. Secondly, I am the face of the tasting room on a Monday to Friday basis. And third, I am what the winery lovingly refers to as “Dr. Prader’s (CEO) little minion”. Unlike my peers in Cape Town, this means that I work a typical ‘nine to five’ schedule and some weekend events. Every day is like juggling five different tasks, all while creating an unforgettable experience for customers and tourists. In the mornings, before most customers arrive, I have some time to concentrate and get work done. At about noon, the tourists and locals arrive for wine tastings, which is conducted by both me and the other marketing intern. In between taking care of these customers, we continue to work on the projects prescribed by Dr. Prader and our supervisors (tasting room managers). Through the course of my internship, many benefits were realized. Personally, I learned more about myself in three months than I ever imagined. After 3 years in the Foster Business School, I finally took a step back to reevaluate my graduation plans and my future career. It gave me an incredibly fresh perspective on what really does and doesn’t appeal to me career-wise. Professionally, I learned a lot about the wine industry and domestic sales. I also became experienced in how to work closely with upper management.”
-Emily Fullmer, University of Washington
“I gained a lot of life long skills during my ten-week internship at Constantia Glen. I improved my knowledge about wine drastically, learned advertising and marketing skills, learned cross-cultural skills, and improve my vocabulary/ general knowledge. All of these things helped me talk to gain confidence engaging customers and made me grow up as a person. My co-workers were all very knowledgeable about wines, they came from all over the world and taught me lots of different things…
I also gained skills in marketing and advertising. I was working in a wine tasting room trying to market our wine label to customers. I learned different techniques and approaches to try and persuade people to buy our wines. I also worked in the office a couple times helping them put together marketing campaigns for future wine events. At the beginning I also helped them with some accounting work making sure there balance sheets were balanced and helping them keep track of sales…”
-Tyler Moffett, University of Oregon
This internship is offered in conjunction with Volunteer Adventure Corps of Cape Town, South Africa.
Summer: January 25
Fall: April 15
Winter: September 1
Spring: November 15
- Agricultural sciences, business, marketing, food sciences, viticulture
- An ability to improvise and get your hands dirty
- Previous experience with marketing and/or wine making, preferred