Some evenings linger long after the last glass is poured. The CoreSync Exclusive Wine Event, held on February 12 at the warm and inviting Olives and Plates, was precisely that kind of evening: an immersive blend of world-class wine, intelligent conversation, and the kind of authentic networking that only happens when people are relaxed, curious, and genuinely engaged.
Co-sponsored by Sage, one of the leading names in business management software, the event brought together finance professionals, entrepreneurs, and industry thinkers for an experience that went far beyond the traditional conference or panel discussion. This was finance made human, warm, sensory, and deeply social.
Setting the Scene
From the moment guests arrived at Olives and Plates, it was clear this was no ordinary industry gathering. The venue, known for its convivial atmosphere and exceptional culinary offering had been thoughtfully curated for the evening. Tables were set with care, catered food from Olives and Plates arrived in beautifully presented courses, and the soft, evocative notes of a live violinist drifted through the room, setting a tone that was at once sophisticated and approachable.
The choice of venue and format was intentional. CoreSync understands that the most meaningful professional relationships are rarely forged in fluorescent-lit conference halls. They are built over shared experiences, over a meal, a glass of wine, a piece of music that stops you mid-conversation to simply listen. The evening was designed to create exactly those moments.
The Faces Behind the Evening
Every great event has great people at its centre. The CoreSync wine tasting was anchored by three individuals who brought both professional authority and genuine passion to the room.
Together, Jordaan and Bartho created a dynamic that was both informative and deeply engaging. Their collaborative hosting style encouraged guests to move fluidly between business conversation and sensory exploration: a rhythm that kept energy high throughout the evening.
The Wines: A Journey Through the Glass
At the heart of the evening was the tasting itself. Bartho Eksteen, as both winemaker and provider of the evening’s selection, guided guests through a thoughtfully curated flight of wines, each one chosen to tell a part of the broader story of South African winemaking its heritage, its innovation, and its ambition.
With each pour, Bartho offered insight into the decisions behind the wine: the climate conditions of the harvest, the philosophy behind the blend, the patient artistry of the ageing process. For many guests, it was a revelation not just about wine, but about what it means to build something with care over time, to trust a process, and to understand that the best outcomes are rarely rushed.
On the Glass Winemaker’s Perspective
Bartho walked guests through the nuance of each varietal the structural complexity of a well-aged red, the crisp minerality of a white drawn from coastal soils, the balance that separates a good wine from a truly memorable one. His passion for the craft was palpable, and it drew even those unfamiliar with wine into a conversation that felt surprisingly universal: the discipline of mastery, the courage of creativity, and the reward of patience.
The parallels with finance were not lost on the room. Just as a winemaker must navigate uncertainty weather, markets, consumer taste so too must financial professionals navigate complexity with both rigour and intuition. The conversation that flowed alongside the wine was rich precisely because of this shared tension between art and science, between instinct and data.
Food, Music, and the Art of Atmosphere
Great wine deserves great food, and Olives and Plates delivered. The catering was expertly matched to the rhythm of the tasting light, flavourful bites that complemented each wine without overpowering it. The team at Olives and Plates has long been celebrated for their ability to turn food into an experience, and this evening was no exception. Each dish arrived at precisely the right moment, allowing guests to savour both the cuisine and the conversation without interruption.
Woven through it all was the sound of live violin. The musician performing throughout the evening brought an unexpected warmth to the proceedings. Music has a remarkable ability to dissolve professional formality, to remind people that they are, at the end of the day, human beings gathered together for something meaningful. In this setting, with wine in hand and music in the air, titles and job descriptions seemed to matter a little less, and genuine curiosity about one another mattered a great deal more.
Networking That Actually Means Something
The phrase “networking event” carries a lot of baggage. Too often it conjures images of awkward small talk, business cards exchanged out of obligation, and conversations that begin and end with “so, what do you do?” The CoreSync wine event was a deliberate departure from all of that.
By grounding the evening in shared experience tasting the same wines, hearing the same stories, laughing at the same moments CoreSync created the conditions for connection that feels genuine rather than transactional. People were not performing their professional identities; they were sharing them, alongside opinions on tannins, observations about the music, and genuine curiosity about what others in the room were building.
The event drew professionals from across multiple industries, reflecting CoreSync’s core understanding that finance is not siloed it underpins every sector of the economy, from agriculture and hospitality to technology and manufacturing. The conversations that emerged reflected this diversity, with guests discovering unexpected common ground across industries they might never have otherwise engaged with.
“The future of finance isn’t just about numbers and software it’s about the relationships and trust that make good decisions possible.”Reflections from the Evening
The Future of Finance In Every Sense
The event’s subtitle A Taste of The Future of Finance carried a deliberate double meaning. On one level, it spoke to the evening’s exploration of how finance is evolving: the role of intelligent software like Sage in streamlining operations, the growing importance of cross-industry collaboration, and the shift toward more human-centred business relationships in a world increasingly mediated by technology.
On another level, it was a statement about method. The future of finance is not just a technical question it is a human one. How do professionals build the kind of trust and understanding that leads to better decisions, stronger partnerships, and more resilient organisations? Events like this one offer one answer: by creating space for people to connect as people first, and as professionals second.
CoreSync’s vision for events like this is to make that space a regular feature of how the financial community comes together. Not just conferences and webinars, but evenings like this intimate, sensory, human where the insights are just as likely to arrive in conversation between two strangers over a shared glass as they are from a keynote address.
A Note of Thanks
CoreSync extends its sincere gratitude to Sage for their co-sponsorship and commitment to bringing events of this quality to the financial community. To Jordaan Burger for his engaging leadership of the evening and his generosity in sharing Sage’s perspective on the evolving world of finance. To Bartho Eksteen for the extraordinary wines and the even more extraordinary stories behind them. To the team at Olives and Plates for the impeccable food and hospitality. And to every guest who walked through the door, brought their curiosity, and made the evening what it was.
This was a beginning, not an ending. The conversations started over wine on the 12th of February are the seeds of partnerships, ideas, and possibilities that will take shape in the months and years ahead. That is precisely the point and precisely what CoreSync will continue to build toward.
Stay Connected
Want to be part of the next CoreSync exclusive event? Follow CoreSync for upcoming announcements, and reach out to the team to learn more about how CoreSync is helping finance professionals across industries connect, grow, and shape the future of their sectors. The next evening awaits and it promises to be just as memorable.