Mike Ratcliffe

Managing Partner, Vilafonté, South Africa

Mike Ratcliffe was Managing Director of 1.4 million bottle Warwick Estate for about two decades before exiting to Californian-based Silicon Valley venture capital firm Eileses. Mike co-founded the US & South African joint venture Vilafonté which was recently named the 2021 IWSC ‘Outstanding producer of the Year’. Mike Ratcliffe founded Wine Business Advisors in 2016 and has since successfully applied his broad experience to advising more than 50 clients around the world. Mike founded the Cape Wine Auction, the single most successful charity auction in South Africa raising about R120 million until stepping down in 2020. Mike has been Chairman of Stellenbosch Wine Routes since 2018 and currently serves as founding-Chairman of Visit Stellenbosch. Mike was nominated for the Wine Enthusiast ‘Wine Star’ Award for Global Innovator of the Year in 2015 & then again in 2017.