The Stellenbosch Wine Routes Ubuntu Trophy challenge, now in its second year, is the only International Sommelier Competition in Africa. This competition pits the Sommeliers Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) against South African Sommeliers Association (SASA) who both enter members to take part in the challenge. The top three members of each team will make up the team which goes forward to the International challenge in 2023. We were invited to attend the competition which was held at Lanzerac Wine Estate in Stellenbosch
The headline Trophy sponsor is Stellenbosch Wine Routes. “Stellenbosch is South Africa’s premier wine destination and, by animating the story of our wines, the sommelier has become a cornerstone of this experience”, says Stellenbosch Wine Routes manager, Elmarie Rabe. “These wine ambassadors fulfil a crucial role that we eagerly acknowledge, especially in this milestone year for the region”. And “Lanzerac is proud to be involved with the Ubuntu Sommelier Trophy for a second year in a row”, says Lanzerac Hotel general manager Emile Langenhoven
The floating Ubuntu trophy that goes to the winner each year
The meaning of Ubuntu: ‘I am what I am because of who we all are'. is a value that Africans share
Sommelier Tondai Joseph Dafana was one of the judges for the day
He was the previous recipient of the trophy and he is also one of the four Zimbabwean sommeliers
who starred in the moving and award-winning documentary film "Blind Ambition",
which showed how four hard-working young men from Zimbabwe found their way to South Africa and,
despite having no background in wine, facing many difficulties and with much hard work,
have become very successful Sommeliers. Three of them have produced their own wine
The Judges, Tondai Joseph Dafana, Shane Mumba and Kim Williams take their places as the competition begins
The competition was created by Jean-Vincent Ridon, international Sommelier, winemaker, and wine educator,
so that local teams might participate in the international competition
He was the invigilator for the competition and took the contestants through their tasks
The attention to detail demanded in performing all the tasks is very high and each is scored
The contestants had spent the morning writing a Theory paper
Twelve Sommeliers qualified for this stage of the competition and only six passed the morning tests
Their names were about to be announced by Jean Vincent Ridon,
three for the final Zimbabwe team, and three for the South African team
Sommelier Tinashe Marlvin Gwese, another of the stars of the film Blind Ambition,
was there to support the Zimbabwe team
He is now the Head Sommelier of the Liz McGrath Collection of hotels
The other two, Tinashe Nyamudoka and Pardon Tuguzu are currently overseas
Janine Van Zyl was the first member of the South African team to compete
She was about to start the next part of the competition. The first task was to welcome the guests (the judges)
and supply them with the drinks they had already ordered from the bar behind her
Two glasses of Villiera Cap Classique Brut and one double of Armagnac, on ice with a tonic water
There were some inbuilt stumbling blocks in the test, e.g. there was no Armagnac
and she had to offer the guest who ordered it an alternative from the small selection on the bar
And the rituals of correct service of the beverages have always to be performed in the correct way
Who gets served first and who next.....
James Mukosi was the first member of the Zimbabwe team
and he, like all six contestants, had to repeat the same series of set tasks, one after the other
Italian judge and invigilator Giuseppe Vaccarini was watching very closely
There was also a live feed from France, where another judge was watching the competition
George Young was the second member of the South African Team and showed a lot of skill and experience
One of the most difficult tasks was to identify three wines that a 'guest' had brought with him,
unlabelled but each from a different country
The contestants were given only two minutes to give the correct answers,
naming the varietal, the country and the region of production
They were a Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc from L’Avenir, a German Riesling from the Nahe
and a French Pinot Noir from Mercurey in Burgundy
Checking for sediment by holding the bottle and decanter over a lighted candle
Tawanda Marume, the second member of the Zimbabwe team, showed that he is also extremely skilled
He has already won the title Best Sommelier in South Africa and Zimbabwe
and will compete in the Best Sommelier of the World 2023 this coming February in Paris
This task was complex
One of the guests had ordered a 2018 Spier wine and wanted it decanted in case there was any sediment
Despite the fact that it was rather young, the sommeliers all obliged skilfully,
pouring carefully over a lit candle which would have revealed the sediment, if any
Stefan Reinmuth, the third South African team member, checking the cork for taint before pouring the wine
The judges were scoring each contestant
as the competition took them through each of the identical tests which they all had to perform
Stanley Zimbizi, the third member of the Zimbabwe team,
correctly identifying this surprise dessert as panettone and suggesting a matching wine from the country of its origin, Italy
He chose a Moscato
and then the final test ....
Each Sommelier was given one bottle of Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Cap Classique and eight glasses
and, without going back to adjust the quantity in any of the glasses,
they had to try to pour an equal portion of the wine into each glass with nothing left in the bottle
Not as easy as it sounds, but something Sommeliers often have to do at functions
Now that looks like a winning pour by Stanley Zimbizi
Pouring fast and furiously and perhaps not getting things very even. It is very difficult, and takes much practice
Spencer Fondaumiere is the Chairman of the South African Sommeliers Association SASA
and he was there to present certificates to some of the contestants
SASA Introductory Sommelier Nothando S M Khuzwayo
SASA Junior Sommelier Yonela Zondwayo
SASA Junior Sommelier Sanelisiwe L Damawe
SASA Sommeliers Stefan Reinmuth and George Young
"Would madam like a glass of Simonsig Cap Classique?" enquires sommelier James Mukosi
After watching the competition from 1 to 5 pm, yes please, she would
Sommelier Tawanda Marume was the highest scorer
and, therefore, the deserving winner of the individual competition
South Africa won the Ubuntu Trophy team competition and here are both teams with their national flags
Hopefully, they will be able to attend the International competition next year
These are all the South African competitors and recently qualified sommeliers
and all the Zimbabwean competitors with Joseph Dafana
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