Haskell Vineyards and Dombeya Wines are proud to announce Salvester van Rooyen as the recipient of the Dombeya Scholarship for 2012.

Established in 2007, the Dombeya Scholarship was awarded on a yearly basis to an outstanding winemaking graduate of the University of Stellenbosch from a previously disadvantaged background. Initiated with a goal of identifying and fostering future industry leaders, the Dombeya Scholarship allowed the successful candidate to gain valuable hands-on winemaking experience both in South Africa and Australia, where they worked side by side with some of the world’s leading winemakers and viticulture researchers.

The Dombeya Scholarship will move into a new and more ambitious phase during 2012. Over a two year period, the scholarship will sponsor a previously unqualified wine industry employee towards gaining a diploma in oenology.

The scholarship will operate in two phases. The first, in year one, will see the successful candidate sit through the three sections of the Wine Training South Africa modules, presented at the Elsenburg Agricultural Collage just outside Stellenbosch.The SKOP courses (Senior Cellar Worker Training Programme) were developed according to the needs of cellar activities performed by cellar workers. The programme consists of Training Progammes on 4 levels: Introductory (SKOP 1), Intermediate (SKOP 2) and Advanced (SKOP 3).

Upon graduation, the successful candidate will be enrolled into the Junior Cellar Management Programme. After completion the candidate will travel to Australia to participate in the vintage programmes of leading Australian wine producers.

Salvester van Rooyen has been an employee at Haskell Vineyards since 2007, working alongside the Haskell winemaking team of Rianie Strydom and Wikus Pretorius.

“Taking the scholarship in this direction is a proactive and positive step,” said Haskell Vineyards partner, Grant Dodd. “The initiative has always been about making a difference. The biggest difference we can make is to help someone profoundly change their life by equipping them with the skills to overcome significant disadvantage. Salvester has shown in his time with us that he has both the character and drive to make the most of every situation and as a result we are delighted to offer him this opportunity.”