For the inaugural issue of Wine Roots, I have chosen to interview Christo Hanse, assistant winemaker at Eikendal Wine Estate. His story touched me deeply when I first met him while tasting wines in the cellar with the winemaker and their Belgian agent. A couple of years later he was introducing their Chardonnay at the prestigious Chardonnay Celebration at De Wetshof and I knew I had to share his story.
Humble Beginnings
Christo's formative years were spent in a rural community in the Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet. Yet, despite the hardships he suffered growing up without a father and having to leave school at an early age, he recalls many positive memories from his childhood.
"In those days there was Ubuntu, people shared everything and were still for each other."
His grandfather was blind and yet he was able to encourage Christo as a young boy in his efforts to succeed. Christo however had to leave school with only grade seven (around age 13) and fend for himself working on a cattle ranch.
In Touch With His Roots
Even though he grew up in a poor community in the Karoo, Christo never forgot the strong values he learned as a child.
"You were drilled with discipline, your ears burned if you didn't listen."
He tells how he still likes to prepare food like his mother used to on Sundays, making a stew of meat and vegetables, with dumplings on top. His ambition to excel in life comes from a time when a child could be sent to the shop by any grown-up in the community.
"Then I used to run as fast as I could, just to be first."
I wonder how many children growing up in today's society are that enthusiastic about their chores!
Taking Leaps
Christo got on a truck that landed him on a table grape farm near Klawer, on the West Coast of South Africa far from his home town.
"In that time there was what we called the 'join lorry'. People got on it if they wanted to work. So I got on."
His motto in life has always been to work harder than anyone else and lead from the front.
"If I took a spade and went ahead, you had to keep up!"
The Road to Stellenbosch
Through many years of hard manual labour on table grape farms, Christo managed to land himself a job as tractor driver on a prestigious wine farm in Stellenbosh.
"They said they wanted a reliable man, and I said 'here is your man!'"
Christo attributes his success in life to having found the Lord and having a strong faith. He was noticed by the estate manager when word spread of the evangelistic work Christo was doing in the community. He was offered an opportunity to work in the cellar, and within a year he was chosen for a government program which landed him a study trip to Burgundy, France for a harvest with a select group of aspiring winemakers. He spent six weeks in Burgundy and five days in Bordeaux. Once again, he had taken a leap and proven his mettle. He was shifting boundaries for someone who had never thought he would ever fly, let alone travel to France and see the Eiffel Tower.
"But when I landed there it was very interesting, it opened my eyes even more."
Positive Mindset
Three years later he was a qualified Junior Cellar Master and appointed as assistant winemaker. The challenge was huge. With no high school education, he has since taken several courses in order to cope with the complexities and administrative side of winemaking, and continues to work hard to 'empower himself' on a daily basis.
"If you are positive in life and if you work hard, you can achieve anything. It is not where you come from, it is where you are going to that matters. It is easy to make changes, even change your past, you don't need to hold onto it. There is something better, it is just a mind shift change, it's that simple."
Christo's humility, courage and leadership is an inspiration to us all. As his grandfather said,
"He will go far in life."
Click here to watch the youtube interview with Christo Hanse.