Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Enjoying the fruits of their labour
IT’S been a busy year for local winemaker Janine Petersen and her J9 Wines brand is making waves in South China.
Petersen and her business partner, Kris Simpson, recently returned from the Pro Wine Asia exhibition in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. They are scheduled to return at the end of the month as they try to gain a foothold in the Asian market. They also plan to open their own shop at Cape Town International Airport.
“We are so excited. We are going to be trending as #wineofcolorSA and the shop will be powered by J9 Wines,” said Simpson.
They have adopted a slogan, “each one, raise one”, which they hope other
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We are so excited. We are going to be trending as #wineofcolorSA
Kris Simpson WINEMAKER
female winemakers will do for newcomers to the industry.
J9 Wines is being used by Old Mutual as corporate gifts for clients.
Petersen recently became an accredited member of Proudly South African.
“We are now connected to the SA brand nationally and internationally. We are also looking at upgrades to the bottle and labelling, so it’s exciting times for us.
“I have also recently qualified as a winemaker through Stellenbosch University, and that is fantastic for me,” said Petersen.
J9 Wines paired with Bayede, Magna Carta and Amy Kleinhans-Curd’s JHG brand, which they exhibit when they market their brands overseas.
The women have their sights set on entering the premium wine market, too, as well as in Japan.
“I am still going to keep my current blends, but I am hoping to come out with a limited edition range in about two years,” said Petersen.
“We are still operating on Hong Kong times because we still find ourselves sending emails at 2am in the morning, but this will stand us in good stead. The rest of the world don’t sleep like we do,” she added.