.: 02/28/26

Saturday, February 28, 2026

A memorial at Delheim to celebrate the life of Andre Morgenthal

Andre Morgenthal was a fellow student in our Diploma class at the Cape Wine Academy in the mid-nineties. He was one of the younger students in the class and had just graduated from Stellenbosch. Many of us were middle-aged and several were already employed in the wine industry. It was a memorable class because almost everyone in the class was employed in the wine industry or became professionally employed in a related occupation.

His career has been notable and well-documented, especially as Communications Manager at WoSA, and then when he was the driving force behind the Old Vines Project.

Aside from our initial time with him in classes, most of our contact with him has been since we closed our shop in Sea Point in 2010 and began to focus more of our attention in producing stories about the wine industry. He was always very friendly and supportive of our work, especially in the Old Vines phase of his career and later when he worked as a publicist promoting wonderful events like Agulhas Triangle wine festivals which were great fun and where he was great company. We were shocked when we heard of his death and will miss him – he was far too young.

Andre at the inauguration of the SA Chardonnay Association in November 2024

Bright sunflowers, barrels, a Tibetan dong bowl and a happy portrait ready for the event

Marga du Toit read a poem composed by Andre

Andre's friend Michael Ratcliffe, co-founder and owner of Vilafonté, was the Master of Ceremonies

The celebration was attended by a large number of Andre's family members, friends and many wine industry friends

Delheim co-owners, brother and sister Victor Sperling and Nora Thiel.
Victor talked with great affection about their long friendship with Andre

and of the many meals and good bottles of wine they had enjoyed together

Andre worked part-time at Delheim while he was studying at Stellenbosch and afterwards

and over the years had become an adopted member of the Sperling family

Victor removed his shirt to reveal a T shirt which promoted one of Andre's many favoured restaurants

Andre loved to say "Lets do Lunch"

Nora then spoke of her friendship with Andre

She was followed by Su Birch who was CEO of Wines of South Africa from 2000 to 2013

Andre served as Communications Manager under her She has many memories of him. He was very good for the industry.

Jean-Pierre Rossouw, owner of Wine Village in Hermanus,

followed with a reading of a moving Tribute by Michael Fridjhon, international wine judge and writer

and then followed that with an emotional reminiscence of his close and long friendship with Andre

Ina Smith, retired manager of the Chenin blanc Association, spoke of her friendship

and her close association with Andre in his time as manager of the Old Vines Project

Heritage Chenin blanc vineyards were an important focus of the project

Ian Dean, Andre's business coach and friend, spoke of their very close friendship and their work together

followed by Gaerin Hauptfleisch, also a close friend who had know Andre since childhood

"He was my best friend", he said and he did not know what he would do without him

Skye Flaatten, spoke on behalf of the Flaatten family, supported by her father Ansgar

Andre had a long and close association with the family

Mike then wound up proceedings with more memories of Andre

He then invited everyone to stay and enjoy some lunch and good wines

Delheim's Malawian sommelier Mathews was very busy pouring glasses of wine
Guests were asked to bring a special bottle which they'd have loved to share with Andre
and there was a huge number of special wines to enjoy