Saurwein, Jessica’s family surname, is steeped in the history of 17th-century winemaking as her forefathers made “sour” wine for the Emperor of Austria. It became her vocation to redeem her family’s reputation in wine and so, after a gap year working locally and internationally in vineyards, she completed a BSc Oenology and Viticulture degree at Stellenbosch University. Opportunities then led her into the world of sales and marketing at while she worked in the cellar each year during harvest-time, locally and internationally. She found her way back to making wine by starting her own production part-time in 2015. After the birth of her first child in October 2017 she resigned from her job to become a mother and full-time winemaker for her own brand Saurwein Wines. Today she focuses on handcrafting her two favourite cultivars, Pinot Noir and Riesling, and makes three wines, all from grapes secured from the Overberg.