Driven to broaden her perspective, Elaina completed a harvest at Benguela Cove before travelling to Napa Valley for a season at the renowned Ovid estate, an experience that revealed a global wine community defined by generosity, passion, and a shared love of knowledge. When Karlin called her back to Vrede en Lust, she returned with fresh eyes and a deeper sense of purpose, stepping into the role of Assistant Winemaker in 2025. As she puts it: “The beauty of wine sure lies in the bottle and the craft behind it, but even more so in who we get to share it with.” Outside the cellar, Elaina is always up for a great cup of coffee, a good snack, and saying yes to wherever the next road leads.
With over 11 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Rozanne brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and energy to the team. Starting her career as a waitress, she quickly worked her way up through Front Office and Reservations Management, showcasing her adaptability, leadership skills, and commitment to excellence.
Rozanne is known for her strong administrative abilities, natural leadership, and infectious personality. She thrives in dynamic environments and loves working with people from all walks of life. Dedicated to personal and professional growth, she actively takes on opportunities to learn, grow, and mentor those around her.
Originally from Franschhoek, Rozanne is a family-oriented, resilient, and hard-working individual with a deep love for dogs—especially her beloved Rottweiler, who is being lovingly raised alongside her two beautiful children. When she’s not working, she enjoys quality time with her husband and kids, and on special occasions, she’ll raise a glass of Sarah Bubbles to celebrate life’s moments. A fun fact close to her heart: on 3 August 2024, Rozanne married the love of her life right here at Vrede en Lust—an unforgettable memory made on the very farm she now calls her second home.
Juanné joined the Vrede en Lust family at the end of 2021 as a Venue & Events Coordinator and stepped into the role of Assistant Hospitality Manager in August 2024, while continuing her responsibilities as Senior Coordinator. With a background in design and a natural talent for organization, she brings a unique blend of creativity and precision to every event she oversees.
Originally from Pretoria and raised in Wellington, Juanné studied in Cape Town and spent a decade in the city before returning to the winelands. After the Covid pandemic, she made a purposeful career shift, integrating her design expertise into the world of hospitality and events—a move that has allowed her to thrive in an environment that values both beauty and detail.
Now living on the farm, Juanné finds peace in the quiet of nature and draws daily inspiration from the surrounding mountains. Her deep love for animals and appreciation for the natural world are a grounding force in her busy schedule.
Extremely hardworking and deeply committed to her craft, Juanné recently surpassed the 100-wedding milestone—testament to her dedication, talent, and the trust couples place in her to bring their most important days to life.
Madelein has been a cornerstone of the farm for nearly two decades, leading our Human Resources department with unwavering dedication and care. Her deep knowledge of the people, culture, and rhythms of the farm make her an invaluable part of the team.
Known for her hardworking nature and steady presence, Madelein approaches every challenge with commitment and integrity. Outside of work, she has a passion for sport, bringing the same energy and determination to the field as she does to the workplace.
Her long-standing contribution speaks volumes—not just about her loyalty, but about the heart she puts into everything she does.
Born in Richards Bay, Durban, Monique Buys has called Vrede en Lust home for over 20 years. As the only daughter of Etienne and Tracey Buys, she has grown up immersed in the rhythms of farm life and now plays a vital role in its daily operations.
Monique leads the stock control department, ensuring the seamless flow of wine from Vrede en Lust to various distribution points—including national warehouses, wine club members, and e-store customers. She is responsible for managing inventory, overseeing dispatch, and coordinating logistics to ensure that every order is fulfilled with precision and care. Her strong sense of responsibility, hands-on approach, and calm, grounded personality make her a dependable and valued member of the team. Monique takes great pride in contributing to the success of a family-run farm that continues to honour its heritage while evolving for the future.
Level-headed, down to earth, and all natural, Monique is committed to preserving the warmth, authenticity, and family spirit that define Vrede en Lust.
Born and raised in Cape Town, Jay-Dee developed an early passion for creativity, communication, and the stories that connect people to the things they love.
A career built across digital marketing, content creation, social media strategy, and brand building gave him a broad and hands-on foundation. One shaped by a holistic, conceptual approach to thinking and a belief that great marketing communicates something meaningful, not just something promotional.
Today, as Marketing Manager at Vrede en Lust, Jay-Dee brings that same philosophy to one of Cape Town’s most celebrated wine estates.
Whether he’s crafting a campaign, creating content, or putting the estate’s dual-terroir story in front of the right audience, he shows up with energy, intention, and a genuine love for the people and place behind every bottle.
Natalie grew up on a farm on the banks of the Orange River, just outside Prieska in the Northern Cape, where her love for nature and family time blossomed.
She pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Marketing Management at North West University in Potchefstroom, excited to build lasting friendships along the way.
Over time, she discovered her passion for wine and realized she could merge her marketing expertise with this newfound love. She refined her knowledge through wine studies and working in social media support for a wine marketing firm.
Today, she’s thrilled to be part of the Vrede en Lust family, where she believes that great wine has a way of bringing people together, creating memories of connection and joy with friends and family.
Danie has fostered a lifelong connection with the land since the age of three, indulging in youthful exploration and camaraderie with farm workers. His educational path led him to Elsenberg, where he immersed himself in Oenology, Viticulture, and Cellar Management. The wine industry beckoned, with his initial vintage at Vrede en Lust marking his entry.
Daniel’s vineyard expertise burgeoned during a spell at Caseys ridge, guided by Annette, and extended globally to Johanninger in Biebelsheim, Germany. Further enriching his experience, he embarked on a second South African vintage at Rupert and Rothschild before a transformative year in Napa, California’s boutique winery scene. This journey interwove diverse personalities and immersive vineyard encounters.
Over three years of merging vineyard and cellar, his passion for the vines solidified. Returning to his roots in 2022, he embraced the role of family vineyard manager, infusing his energy into the land that raised him. With unyielding devotion, Daniel tends to the family legacy, nurturing each vine with fervent dedication.
With deep roots in the Cape Winelands and a genuine passion for the industry, exceptional wines deserve the right platform and the right people behind them. Her approach is built on real connection, persistence, and the kind of trust that turns a first meeting into a long-term partnership.
As National Sales Manager, Lourenza joins Vrede en Lust with one focus: getting the estate’s exceptional wines into as many hands as possible.
Lourenza believes that sucuessful sales are built on trust, collaboration and a thorough understanding of the market. She works closely with trade clients to identify oppotunities and strengethen brand presence. With a passion for building strong customer relationships and driving sustainable sales growth.
Having grown up on Vrede en Lust, it has always had a very special place in Sarah’s heart and reminds her of a very happy childhood set amongst the oak trees. As she got older, her appreciation for the beauty and heritage grew, and taking over the position as hospitality manager from her sister Jess seemed like a natural progression after spending four years working on board a private yacht as a chief stewardess.
Prior to her time in yachting, Sarah completed a Bcom in Management Sciences at Stellenbosch and has recently completed an Honours Degree in Management and Leadership. Having led her interior team on board the yacht through some rocky waters, Sarah has the right experience and background to continue leading our hospitality department. Now living on the farm with her husband, Sarah and her team are eager to make their mark on the hospitality industry in the area, with a modern and collaborative approach.
Gerhard’s qualifications include (amongst others) a Bcompt Honours degree from UNISA. His entrepreneurial background together with his extensive financial and auditing experience obtained over the years makes him a key player on the Vrede en Lust team.
Gerhard took over the reins of Vrede en Lust’s financial department in 2024 and, together with the dynamic group of women who make up the rest of his team, they are really working wonders and doing a fantastic job in heading the company into a prosperous strategic financial position.
He has a natural ability when it comes to accounting and this, together with his intense attention to detail, ensure that Vrede en Lust’s financial future is in capable hands.
Gerhard’s favourite quote –“What is a mind, if you cannot change it”!
Gerhard is an avid sportsman, his hobbies include running, hitting the gym, rugby, tennis, golf, squash and anything where a ball is involved. On a more serious note, Gerhard’s philosophy for success and his career is: “Success is simple – do what’s right, the right way and at the right time.”
Annette is our head viticulturist and dedicated guardian of our vineyards, possessing a profound passion for the art and science of viticulture. With a MSc in Viticulture she employs a blend of traditional wisdom and modern techniques to cultivate grapes that express the unique character of our land. She believes in sustainable viticulture, working in harmony with nature to foster healthy vines and vibrant ecosystems. With an eye for detail and a deep respect for the terroir, Annette ensures that our grapes reach their full potential, resulting in wines that truly reflect the soul of our vineyard.
Annette was born on a farm near Lydenburg in Mpumalanga. On her dad’s side she comes from a long line of farmers, while her mom is the academic in the family. They raised her with the belief that nothing is impossible to achieve if you can dream big.
Originally from the small countryside town of Caledon in the Overberg region, Lizé grew up between people with a love for good food, good wine, and good company.
Studying in Stellenbosch led to more exposure to the wine industry and what was instilled from a young age grew to a passion. This led to a career change from engineering to the wine industry. After gaining experience in various tasting rooms, she joined the Vrede en Lust team in November 2019 as Direct Sales Manager.
Being a small-town girl born & bred, she’s a firm believer in countryside hospitality and that there is a wine out there for everyone, you just have to find it.
Preparing Karlin for her journey in the wine industry was a Bsc.Agric Viticulture & Oenology degree from the University of Stellenbosch. In 2015 her career commenced at Vrede and Lust as assistant winemaker. In 2016 she broadened her knowledge with international experience from Italy’s wine industry, when she joined a small family wine estate in the heart of Barbaresco, Piedmont, for their harvest season. Back home in SA in May 2017 Karlin joined Rupert and Rothschild as assistant winemaker and worked in the Baron Cellar, producing Baroness Nadine (Chardonnay) and Baron Edmund (Bordeaux blend). In the same year she was accepted for a Burgundy exchange program in France, studying the Burgundy region (one of the most recognisable wine regions in France) with respect to viticulture and oenology, wine processing techniques and wine chemistry. Following this, she continued her international experience in France with a harvest season at Domaine Terres de Ville in Auxey-Duresses.
Returning to South Africa, Karlin was appointed in October 2017 as winemaker at Vrede en Lust Wine Estate at the age of 25, the youngest female winemaker in South Africa at the time. It is here where Karlin still today lives out her passion and strives to let that flow into her creations.
As Karlin would famously say: “I love sharing with people – everything from good wine and food to laughter and memories. Hence, it gratifies me to every day be in a position to cultivate something that I can share with people, that brings people together and adds joy to the moment. I truly love what I am doing.”
In 1998, Etienne joined his brother Dana in the Vrede en Lust partnership and headed up the development of the Vrede en Lust and Casey’s Ridge farms. With the help of Günter Brözel, the new cellar was planned and built, followed by the wedding venue and accommodation.
Etienne is passionate about farming and wine, and until recently he headed the viticulture on both Vrede en Lust and Casey’s Ridge. He has travelled extensively in France and Australia, building his knowledge of modern techniques used within the wine industry. Since 2012 he took over as Managing Partner of Vrede en Lust.
Prior to joining Vrede en Lust, Etienne served in the government for 15 years and gained extensive managerial and corporate experience. He has a degree in Contemporary African Studies and Sociocultural Anthropology.
Not only is he theoretically knowledgeable, but he also follows a hands-on philosophy. Therefore, you are most likely to find him in the vineyards.
Before purchasing the Vrede en Lust farm in 1996, Dana was involved in the informational technology industry. His company, Workgroup Systems, was the first South African company to have a distribution relationship with Microsoft post the sanctions era. Workgroup grew to become the largest distributor of software in the country by 1996, at which point he sold the distribution, training and consulting components of the business.
Buys was chairman of Frontrange when it listed on the JSE in 1997. Since selling Frontrange Solutions in December 2005, he is dedicated to making a success of the Vrede en Lust wine business.
In 1996 he began his new venture in the wine industry. He replanted entirely new vines in relation to the unique soil of each block of land. Dana also restored much of the historic building back to their original status. He completed his postgraduate studies in Wine Business through the University of Adelaide. He is heavily involved in promoting the South African wine industry as a whole.
Dana married Anneke Louw in June 2008. They currently reside in a newly constructed home near Vrede en Lust in a new house a bit further up the farm. Dana is the father of two daughters, Jessica and Sarah, from his previous marriage as well as two younger daughters, Anni and Ella, from his current marriage.
