WINOSHIP

ABOUT US

WINOSHIP

ABOUT US

Who are they you say?!?

Started up by an ex-pat Saffer, Dean Totham, who moved to the UK over 20 years ago, with a passion for wine, see my Vivino and you’ll agree.

Travelling back to see family every year over the last 7-8 years I realised SA had a lot to offer, both Old and New world, in SA terms, and seized a certain opportunity.

Strange you say as SA wines are considered New world, No? Ah ah, wine has been produced ever since the days Dutch colonials landed in the Cape in the later 1600s, with Simon van der Stel, the first Dutch Cape Governor who was the visionary and “father” for which the world famous Stellenbosch region is named after.

Fast forwarding, and to cut a long story short, and after a number various scale hosted wine tasting events, it was time for Winoship to get into the mix, and is dedicated to bringing you REALLY REALLY, I mean REALLY good wine, either to collect or quaff, but either way you’ll feel treated like a connoisseur!

Sante

PS. Our speciality really is hosting amazing wine tasting all over London, so subscribe now to find out when the next is … or… if you want to impress your colleagues, team, friends, neighbours, girlfriends, boyfriends, partners, or whoever, or importantly how many ever we can tailor to cater!
Drop us a line

Meet the team

that brings you your favourite wines

Dean Totham

Meet Dean, Founder and Owner, a wine enthusiast and an Evangelical member of our team responsible for selecting the South African wines sold on our site. Our first WSET qualified team member, who’s just embarked in Level 3 has a passion for wine that started during his travels through Europe, and coincidentally also returning to each summer in SA from London for the past 20 years, where Dean has cultivated a deep understanding of the industry and developed the most discerning South African wine palate. His dedication to discovering unique and high-quality wines from South Africa has been invaluable to leading the team, and his abilities to foresee rough diamonds, and his recommendations have become some of our best sellers. With a commitment to sustainability and fair trade, Dean ensures that each bottle she selects not only tastes amazing but also comes from ethical and socially responsible producers. He is a true expert in his field, and his love for wine and commitment to excellence shines through in every selection he makes.

Michael Gonzalez

Introducing Michael Gonzalez – Region Expert / Wine buyer for Spain, France, Italy, Eastern Europe. Michael’s wine interest started in his very early 20s after having fallen victim to the wrong type of sommelier. The one that points to the most expensive bottle on the list when you ask for advice. Since then, Michael has tried wines from almost every corner of the world, and completed many wine tasting trips, with family, friends and clients, each with unique accompanying stories. But for Michael nothing compares to nor beats a trip to Piedmont in the fall with the autumnal colours across the Langhe hills and the aroma of truffle in the air. Michael’s personal wine passion falls succinctly into 4 distinct Regions; Firstly, Northern Rhone, France – a total sucker for Syrah, with a specific weakness for Cornas and St Joseph. Secondly, Piedmont reds and whites (some of the best chardonnays come from the region). Thirdly, Alto Adige pinot noirs and finally Eastern Europe. Regions like North Macedonia, Moldova and Bulgaria. Today, Michael’s USP is that he’s taken his worldly wine knowledge and helped develop the SA wine portfolio by benchmarking SA wines we specialise in against the international counterparts, sharing his passion for Winoship Wines, and is our go to wine hound specialising in curating wines from Spain, France, Italy and Eastern Europe. 

Remo

Meet Remo, the mastermind behind our selection of North and South American, Spanish and Italian and wines. With years of experience in the industry and a true passion for wine, Remo has developed an unparalleled knowledge of wineries and varietals. Remo is not booked trained in wine but believes in experience learning in the field or in the vineyard, listening and learning first-hand from the the producers in their domain. His palate is finely tuned which is reflective by the 8000+ ratings on Vivino, and he has an innate ability to identify the unique characteristics of each wine he tastes, enabling him to make informed and thoughtful selections for our site. Remo is dedicated to supporting small and family-owned wineries, and he takes the time to visit each producer he works with, building relationships and ensuring the highest quality of products for our customers. His commitment to excellence and his infectious enthusiasm for Italian, Spanish (A Vivino ambassador for both, in Reds and Whites) and N/S American wines have made him a valuable member of our team, and we are fortunate to have him leading our selection of wines. Like Michael, Remo has been integral in selecting and shaping the SA wine portfolio, which evident in tasting of over 1200+ SA wines, making him a key influencer in our team.

Heinrich Badenhorst

Heinrich is from the heartland of South Africa’s proud viticultural expanse, Stellenbosch. Apart from his intricate knowledge and network of dear friends from the region and beyond, he is all about brand SA and lobbying for the British palate to get exposed to more and more of it. His passion lies in taking the liquid to the lips of wine lovers and evoking appreciation of the terroir and people behind the label.
 
Not just a pretty face, Heinrich is a Chartered Accountant who recently became WSET Level 3 qualified less than a year after Level 2, citing his insatiable desire to learning more and bringing that to life for his family of wine lovers (you included). He has experience hosting corporate and private tastings and has had his fair share of being cellar hand for friends. Undoubtedly his most memorable vinification moment must be blending Rose in Provence.
 
Heinrich will be bringing Winoship portfolio tastings to life bringing a creative swing in the mix. He also offers solutions and inside track advice on SA wine investment, collection diversification, vintage selection, and sourcing.

Alex Dervish

Alex is the newest member of the team, a huge advocate for South African wine, and the value it offers our clients. Offering great insight to the everyday consumer, what they are looking for, and buying habits. Helping Winoship stay in touch with what people really want when buying wine. He is a former judge in the People’s Choice Wine Awards. Has tasted 1000’s of wines from all over the world and always offers an honest and humble opinion.
 
South African wine will always be Alex’s biggest passion in wine. However, he is an advocate for New Zealand’s wine, too. Specifically, the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay’s. An area he will be concentrating on for Winoship. Chardonnay, in general, is a grape that Alex really champions, new and old world.
 
He is passionate about learning from others, sharing opinions, and sharing wine. Our winemaker dinners are where Alex is happiest, networking with friends and clients, and learning from winemakers. Alex has built a network of friends in the industry, from producers and wine makers to influencers and TV personalities/ journalists.
 
Alex is currently in mid-flight with his WSET Level 2 certification

Simone

Our resident Cape Town Digital and Socials guru, creating magic online content for Winoship Wines.

 

Who are they you say?!?

Started up by an ex-pat Saffer, Dean Totham, who moved to the UK over 20 years ago, with a passion for wine, see my Vivino and you’ll agree.

Travelling back to see family every year over the last 7-8 years I realised SA had a lot to offer, both Old and New world, in SA terms, and seized a certain opportunity.

Strange you say as SA wines are considered New world, No? Ah ah, wine has been produced ever since the days Dutch colonials landed in the Cape in the later 1600s, with Simon van der Stel, the first Dutch Cape Governor who was the visionary and “father” for which the world famous Stellenbosch region is named after.

Fast forwarding, and to cut a long story short, and after a number various scale hosted wine tasting events, it was time for Winoship to get into the mix, and is dedicated to bringing you REALLY REALLY, I mean REALLY good wine, either to collect or quaff, but either way you’ll feel treated like a connoisseur!

Sante

PS. Our speciality really is hosting amazing wine tasting all over London, so subscribe now to find out when the next is … or… if you want to impress your colleagues, team, friends, neighbours, girlfriends, boyfriends, partners, or whoever, or importantly how many ever we can tailor to cater!
Drop us a line

Who are they you say?!?

Started up by an ex-pat Saffer, Dean Totham, who moved to the UK over 20 years ago, with a passion for wine, see my Vivino and you’ll agree.

Travelling back to see family every year over the last 7-8 years I realised SA had a lot to offer, both Old and New world, in SA terms, and seized a certain opportunity.

Strange you say as SA wines are considered New world, No? Ah ah, wine has been produced ever since the days Dutch colonials landed in the Cape in the later 1600s, with Simon van der Stel, the first Dutch Cape Governor who was the visionary and “father” for which the world famous Stellenbosch region is named after.

Fast forwarding, and to cut a long story short, and after a number various scale hosted wine tasting events, it was time for Winoship to get into the mix, and is dedicated to bringing you REALLY REALLY, I mean REALLY good wine, either to collect or quaff, but either way you’ll feel treated like a connoisseur!

Sante

PS. Our speciality really is hosting amazing wine tasting all over London, so subscribe now to find out when the next is … or… if you want to impress your colleagues, team, friends, neighbours, girlfriends, boyfriends, partners, or whoever, or importantly how many ever we can tailor to cater!
Drop us a line

Meet the team

that brings you your favourite wines

Dean Totham

Meet Dean, a wine enthusiast and an integral member of our team responsible for selecting the South African wines sold on our site. With a passion for wine that started during his travels through Europe, Dean has cultivated a deep understanding of the industry and a discerning palate. His dedication to discovering unique and high-quality wines from South Africa has been invaluable to our team, and her recommendations have become some of our best sellers. With a commitment to sustainability and fair trade, Dean ensures that each bottle she selects not only tastes amazing but also comes from ethical and socially responsible producers. He is a true expert in her field, and his love for wine and commitment to excellence shines through in every selection he makes.

Michael Gonzalez

Introducing Michael Gonzalez – Region Expert / Wine buyer for Spain, France, Italy, Eastern Europe. Michael’s wine interest started in his very early 20s after having fallen victim to the wrong type of sommelier. The one that points to the most expensive bottle on the list when you ask for advice. Since then, Michael has tried wines from almost every corner of the world, and completed many wine tasting trips, with family, friends and clients, each with unique accompanying stories. But for Michael nothing compares to nor beats a trip to Piedmont in the fall with the autumnal colours across the Langhe hills and the aroma of truffle in the air. Michael’s personal wine passion falls succinctly into 4 distinct Regions; Firstly, Northern Rhone, France – a total sucker for Syrah, with a specific weakness for Cornas and St Joseph. Secondly, Piedmont reds and whites (some of the best chardonnays come from the region). Thirdly, Alto Adige pinot noirs and finally Eastern Europe. Regions like North Macedonia, Moldova and Bulgaria make exceptional wines from both mainstream and indigenous grapes – at great value. Today, Michael continues his passion for Winoship Wines, and is our go to wine hound specialising in curating wines from Spain, France, Italy and Eastern Europe

Remo

Meet Remo, the mastermind behind our selection of American wines. With years of experience in the industry and a true passion for wine, Remo has developed an unparalleled knowledge of American wineries and varietals. His palate is finely tuned, and he has an innate ability to identify the unique characteristics of each wine he tastes, enabling him to make informed and thoughtful selections for our site. Remo is dedicated to supporting small and family-owned wineries, and he takes the time to visit each producer he works with, building relationships and ensuring the highest quality of products for our customers. His commitment to excellence and his infectious enthusiasm for American wine have made him a valuable member of our team, and we are fortunate to have him leading our selection of wines from across the United States.