Bruce has been immersed in the wine industry since his youth, packing shelves in a wine shop. This passion for wine grew into a distinguished career spanning decades and continents.

He attained his oenology and viticulture degree from the legendary Roseworthy Campus, at the University of Adelaide, becoming the first South African to do so.

He went on to establish and sell a successful winemaking business called Flagstone and has been the head winemaker for Constellation/Accolade responsible for the style direction of some of the biggest new world brands, including Hardys. In 2018, he embarked on a new venture, returning to his entrepreneurial roots, and established Bruce Jack Wines. Bruce was named one of Drinks Business’s Top 100 Winemakers in both 2023 and 2025.

While his work spans multiple projects, The Drift Estate remains Bruce’s true home. He is joined on this journey by his wife, Penelope, who brings her creative touch to the estate’s wine label designs.

Penelope is a true creative, adding a flourish of artistic flair to everything she touches. She has been a passionate potter since her Waldorf junior school days at Michael Mount. She completed her schooling at St Andrew’s School before earning a Fine Arts degree in Jewellery Design from Stellenbosch University. Over the years, she has worked as a jeweller, artist, and graphic designer in the advertising world – focusing on magazine and label design—and also spent a period working with the Arts Council of South Australia. She has a yoga instructor’s qualification from AYA and loves practising Ikebana when possible.

Today, Penelope divides her time between Cape Town and The Drift Estate. She plays an integral role in shaping all The Drift Estate labels and contributes thoughtful, creative insight to our marketing discussions.

Andre is the driving force behind The Drift Estate, overseeing multiple areas of the farm including vineyards, olive groves, and the vegetable garden. Successfully managing even one of these areas is no small feat – excelling across all three is a testament to his exceptional skill and dedication.

His journey in farm management began in Stellenbosch, taking him through Wellington and Amarika in Northern Namibia, before he joined The Drift Estate in 2011. Since then, his commitment and hard work have been central to the farm’s growth and success.

Drawn by the unique challenges of the land and the opportunity to work with a place that rewards perseverance with abundance, Andre has found a wild home he truly loves. When he’s not at the estate, you’re likely to find him tearing across tracks on his cross-country motocross bike.

Moteku brings valuable experience to The Drift Estate, having completed five harvests – including stints overseas in California and Romania. She joined us for her first harvest in 2025 and has quickly made her mark with ambition, dedication, and clear, bold plans for her future as a winemaker.

Calm, diligent, and focused, Moteku approaches every task with precision, while also knowing when to step up and ensure the cellar team meets Marlize’s exacting standards. She keeps the winemaking process moving efficiently, even when persuading Bruce to taste samples to finalise blends for bottling proves challenging.

Beyond the cellar, she is a dynamic presence in sales, bringing energy and professionalism to every interaction. When she is off duty you may find her enjoying a cocktail every now and then.

Enock’s quiet, gentle manner and warm smile are the first things you’ll notice when you visit The Drift Estate cellar. He began his journey at the Homestead, where he earned the nickname “Chicken Whisperer” for his care of the wild African farm chickens. Since then, Enock has grown into an indispensable member of the cellar team, working closely under Marlize’s expert guidance.

Beyond the cellar, Enock is a wonderful tour guide, always happy to share the parts of the estate that interest visitors most. His infectious nature is part of what makes The Drift Estate such a special place.

Enock’s smile is never far away – except, of course, when he’s posing for a photo, which he approaches with the same seriousness as he does his beloved football.

Paula brings clarity, structure, and extensive financial expertise to The Drift Estate. A qualified Chartered Accountant, she is the founder and director of PlusOne Financial Consulting, where she has spent more than a decade supporting individuals, entrepreneurs, and small to medium-sized businesses with reliable, high-level financial management.  Known for her logical, thorough approach and ability to translate complex numbers into meaningful insight, Paula ensures that The Drift Estate’s financial operations remain sound, compliant, and future focused.

Based in Cape Town, Paula is a vital part of our team – bringing precision to the business side of our creative, agricultural world.

Bruce first interviewed Catherine for a job at another winery in 2010 – thankfully she didn’t get the position – and few months later found herself working with Bruce at The Drift Estate. While her official title is Office Manager, Catherine’s role goes far beyond that. A true Jack-of-all-trades, she touches almost every part of the business.

From HR management and UK customer relations to newsletter creation, website maintenance, and occasionally being dubbed The Bruce Whisperer, Catherine keeps the team running smoothly. Dedicated to both her work and her family, she’s almost always wearing a smile and brings creativity and energy to everything she does – not to mention she can bake some seriously impressive cakes!

If team spirit had a face, it would be Isabel – or Issy, as she is known around the office. She never shies away from a challenge and is always willing to entertain Bruce’s most ambitious production ideas.

Issy has been with us since 2014 and has played a vital role in our growth – from processing just 20 tons in The Drift Estate cellar that first year to managing today’s 100+ ton harvest with Marlize, our head winemaker, she oversees all aspects of production, new product development, and some of our export logistics.

Passionate about the craft, Issy thrives on the hard work, detail, and the determination required to turn grapes into a finished bottle of wine. And while there may be a bit of blood, sweat, tears – and the odd swear word – she believes the end result should always be something to appreciate and enjoy.

Evelyn may be the newest member of our team — joining us in 2025 — but she brings with her many years of experience in the wine industry. With a strong background across sales, logistics, and production.

A shrewd negotiator and clear communicator, Evelyn has already done a fantastic job streamlining our export logistics. She also supports Isabel in the production of some of our sub-brands.

Outside of work, Evelyn is a devoted mom to three beautiful children and one beloved fur baby. Known for her exuberant personality, excellent palate, and impeccable style, she’s often the best-dressed person in the office.

Jenni is our administrative powerhouse, managing customer invoices and orders with precision while keeping our drivers organised and supported on the road. She’s known for her professionalism, reliability, and the firm-but-fair approach that also makes her a wonderful, devoted mother and grandmother.

Since joining us in 2016, Jenni has become an indispensable part of our team. She loves that no two days are the same and takes pride in helping ensure our customers stay happy and well looked after.

Juan may have joined us just over a year ago (2024), but he has quickly proven himself indispensable. What began as managing a single storage location has grown into overseeing stock across all our local facilities — and a couple of international ones too.

Eager to learn and never one to shy away from a challenge, Juan constantly expands his skill set and looks for smarter ways to work. He’s fast becoming a spreadsheet whizz, using data and organisation to keep our stock flowing smoothly across the business.

His dedication, curiosity, and can-do attitude make him a standout member of our operations team.