The local wine industry was in mourning this week after the news that the legendary Dave Hughes (84) passed away on Monday.
He has over a span of more than four decades in the wine industry played an integral part as a wine judge, author and educator. He was the founder of the highly successful Cape Wine Academy and also wrote around 30 books on wine.
Hughes was born on 12 June 1938 in the then Southern Rhodesia, where he completed his schooling. At 16 he completed his basic army training, and with his keen interest in geology joined the School of Mining in Johannesburg.
However, the pressure underground affected his hearing and he returned to Rhodesia’s army.
The army wanted to send him overseas for training and he was given three months’ leave before they were due to go. In that time he got a job with a local distiller and was immediately obsessed. His father had to buy him out of the military . . . well, the rest is history.
After a five-year apprenticeship at the distillery he returned to Rhodesia, after which the distillery was moved to the Lowveld and later taken over by Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery (now Distell).
He then moved to the Cape, where he was first production manager at a cellar in Stellenbosch and then moved to the marketing side. At the annual Blessing of the Harvest 10 years ago Hughes received the 1659 Medal of Honour for his lifetime’s contribution to the wine industry.
His wife, Lorna, died in a car accident in August 2022.
