Carmen Stevens Wines

Carmen Stevens grew up on the Cape Flats, a world away from the vineyards of Stellenbosch. In 1990 she applied to study winemaking at Elsenburg Agricultural College and was turned away because of her colour. She applied again in 1991 and was rejected once more. In 1992 she was told she lacked military experience. Finally, in 1993, Elsenburg accepted her, and in 1995 Carmen Stevens graduated as South Africa's first Black winemaker -- a milestone that changed the trajectory of the country's wine industry.

Her talent was evident from the start. In 1998, her very first red wine production earned a Top 10 Pinotage award. A decade later, she won the Decanter 2008 International Red Bordeaux Varietals Trophy for her Amani Cabernet Franc/Merlot 2006, placing her among the finest winemakers on the international stage. In 2015 she was named California Winemaker of the Year, and in 2018, Naked Wines UK crowned her Winemaker of the Decade.

In 2011, Carmen established her own label, Carmen Stevens Wines, working from the historic Oude Molen precinct on Distillery Road in Stellenbosch. In 2019 she registered it as the first 100% Black-and-woman-owned winery in Stellenbosch. The range includes a Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Rose, and a Cape Port -- wines that reflect Carmen's belief in accessible, expressive winemaking rooted in the Western Cape terroir. Ninety-five percent of production is exported to the UK and USA under the Catoria label, a name blending her daughters' names, Caitlin and Victoria.

Recent accolades continue to affirm her standing: a Gold Medal for the Carmen Stevens Rose at the 2025 Rose Wine and Spirit Challenge, a Double Gold at the 2024 Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards, and recognition of the Merlot 2022 as one of the Taransaud 2025 Merlot Top 10. The cellar also earned Gold at the 2023 Lumo Awards for both the Chenin Blanc and the broader range.

Beyond the cellar, Carmen founded the Carmen Stevens NPO in 2015. Today the foundation provides over 25,000 learners from 125 schools in the Western Cape with nutritious breakfast and lunch daily. She was named South Africa's Entrepreneur of the Year in both 2017 and 2019. A visit to Carmen Stevens Wines is a visit to a winery where every bottle carries the weight of a story that transcends wine -- a story of perseverance, barrier-breaking, and community upliftment.