The blog, www.batonage.com, is made up of two extraordinary people (Hennie Coetzee being the other half) but for the purposes of Women's month, the spotlight is focused on Maggie. We were fortunate enough to be able to squeeze into her busy schedule to find out a little more about her. How did you start out in the wine industry? Although I grew up in Pretoria, my parents both hailed from the Cape and they introduced me to wine. Visits to Stellenbosch estates during school holidays started my fascination with the machinery behind the industry. Moving to Stellenbosch to study at University was a natural decision and there I was…in wine country! During my Articles in Stellenbosch, I met and did work for quite a few wine makers – giving me a unique perspective when writing about a wine: The intricate process behind it and what it costs to put that bottle on your table. After starting our blog a few years ago we also decided to further our wine education with WSET and Fridjhon Tasting Academy courses; expensive but totally worth every cent. What inspires you on a regular basis? Precision, elegance and intelligence. How would you like to see the SA wine industry progress? Can we all just work together? It seems everybody is pulling in their own direction wanting to get to the top on their own. I’d also like to see some new blood in wine judging – the same competitions and panels are filled with the same judges year after year. If you weren’t immersed in wine, what do you think you would be doing? I am an accountant by trade, so that’s what pays for my wine “habit”. Buying good wine and acquiring a decent wine education is quite an expensive “hobby”. As a woman in wine, do you think it’s an easy industry to get into/be in? When I was little, I wanted to be a geologist like my brother; he warned me that, “the field is no place for a young woman”. In the 21st century that is not really applicable but there are a number of barriers to (and in) the industry. Working in a physically demanding industry, will always be more difficult for a woman than a man but other than that; it should be a level playing field out there. I am not entirely sure it is but then again, we can all be our own worst enemy… Sharing experiences, great foodie haunts and delicious wines, make sure you are following her on Twitter @blackdelilah