New World of Wine: From the Cape of Good Hope

by Phyllis Hands, Dave Hughes

Book by Hands, Phyllis, Hughes, Dave

176 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1998

About the author

Phyllis Lucy-Ann Hands grew up on a farm near Blakwane, then Pietersburg.
The romance and challenge which make up the essence of the story of wine entered Phyllis Hand's life at 19 when she married and came to live in Stellenbosch District in the early 1950's. After four years Phyllis found herself mistress of a vinyard which her husband, a Cape Town businessman, had inherited. In time she became a wine authority of considerable repute. She was the first South African woman to judge and write about wine and contributed numerous articles to both international and local magazines.
In the early 1970's Phyllis was asked to help organize the Lanzerac Hotel wine list and wines. At that time the Argus newspaper held the first wine tasting competition and Phyllis decided to enter. Over a thousand entrants took part in the competition and after three elimination tastings nine reached the finals. In the final tasting Phyllis tied for first place with Billy Hofmeyer, a reputed wine taster. In a male controlled wine world this caused quite a stir! In the taste-off Billy tasted Phyllis into second place.
Phyllis was subsequently asked to write a wine page for The Argus and her articles were eventually published as a book. She later wrote a wine column, "Corkscrew" in which wines were given star ratings.
Phyllis became a wine consultant for Lanzerac and subsequently started the Lanzerac Cellars Club, the first wine mail-order club in South Africa.
In 1979 Phyllis was offered the position of first Principal of the newly founded Cape Wine Academy. She retired in 1995, but remained a consultant and lecturer.
Phyllis has travelled the wine routes of Europe and the Americas and has conducted wine study tours through many wine producing countries of the world. She was Baillage (Chairman) of the Cape chapter of La Chaine des Rôtisseurs from 1985 until 1995.
She ran her own business, Phyllis Hands & Associates, until 2000 and, besides consulting, she also gave presentations on the South African Wine Industry to international groups of eminent wine personalities here and abroad.
Phyllis is married to Harry Hands and they have a daughter and a son, who have farms next to their own. After her retirement Phyllis concentrated on the farm and the planting of 4 hectares of vinyards and 200 olive trees.