But those scholarships didn’t come through, and Biyela instead applied for a winemaking scholarship as a last-ditch effort to attend college. Once enrolled at Stellenbosch University, about 900 ...

In 1998, Biyela, who had never even tasted wine, was awarded a winemaking scholarship by South African Airways, which was encouraging diversity and new talent to join South Africa's growing wine ...

Biyela’s first full-time employment was at Dave Lello’s Stellekaya, where she worked her way up the ranks for the next 13 years. Opportunities began to flow, including working in vineyards abroad.