The Sommelier Association of South Africa (SASA) launched their first Best Sommelier competition on Monday 11 January at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town.
There were 9 other knowledgeable and experienced competitors; Joakim Hansi Blackadder (Hoghouse) who finished as second runner-up, Manuel Cabello (Ellerman House), Jeanette Clarke (Ex-Amino), Spencer Fondaumiere (Burrata), Denis Garret (Benguela Cove), Marlvin Gwese (Cape Grace), Ralph Reynolds (Karibu), Jean Vincent Ridon (winemaker and consultant), also the first runner-up, and Roxan Waldeck (Delaire Graff)
Gareth Ferreira is currently working at a wine-focused private club in London (67 Pall Mall) as Assistant Head Sommelier under the tutelage of Master Sommelier Ronan Sayburn, and he also won the 2014 Bollinger Service Award in South Africa.
The Best Sommelier SA competition acknowledges and rewards the best professional working in the South African hospitality industry, it was open to all SASA members with relevant work experience and tenure in South Africa.
The 10 competitors were put through their paces by an experienced panel including Deputy General Secretary of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and the President of the Sommeliers of Morocco, Michèle Aström Chantôme; Best Sommelier of Sweden 1986, Hans Astrom; and SASA Chairman, Neil Grant. Several of the questions asked over the course of the day were set by The Best Sommelier of the World 2010, Gerard Basset MW.
Announcing the winner, Grant said the judges’ decision was unanimous. “With such a strong line-up competing for the title, the judges expected to make tough decisions at every point, heats and finals. It was exceptionally close but, in the end, we agreed wholeheartedly that Gareth deserved the title.
“Thank you and well done to all the competitors, especially runners up Jean Vincent and Joakim; your collective knowledge and experience augurs well for the future of the South African hospitality industry. And, of course, congratulations Gareth. It was a pleasure and a privilege to watch you work,” said Grant.
Not only does Ferreira win the coveted title, he will represent South Africa at the prestigious Best Sommelier of the World competition taking place in Mendoza, Argentina, in April this year. Here, he will face more than 55 other candidates in a bid to win the title ‘Best Sommelier of the World’. Currently held by Paolo Basso from Switzerland, the Best Sommelier of the World is only awarded every three years.
An over-joyed Ferreira said: “What a day! I’m so happy and so proud to have won the first ever title of Best Sommelier in South Africa. It was extremely tough – my fellow competitors are all at the top of their game – but I’m thrilled I came through. I’m also so looking forward to going to Mendoza and competing internationally. I’ll do my best to do the South African hospitality industry and SASA proud!”
SASA launched the Best Sommelier of South Africa Competition as part of its on-going bid to raise the standard of beverage service in the local hospitality industry. The competition tests the art of the sommelier, not just wine knowledge or the ability to recognise a wine when tasted blind, but the ability to engage the client, the technicality of the service, the knowledge of all beverages, and food and wine pairing.
It was a tough day - with the 10 contenders spending the morning on a blind tasting, theory exam and a practical exercise of aerating and decanting a wine. After lunch the 3 finalists were announced and they were then really taken through their paces, not just for the judges but also for approx 40 spectators! So if nerves are your thing under pressure - this is not your competition!
There were 7 tests for the finalists, each one with a tight time deadline.
- Presenting and pouring a bottle of Cap Classique
- Pairing an intricate and extensive menu with wines
- Opening a rather old bottle of Alto Rouge and aerating & decanting it. Poor Joakim struggled with a dodgy cork but he did well!
- Going through a wine list with errors and pointing them out
- Talking through a white and red wine blind and describing as much as possible about them. This was closely followed by a blind tasting through a set of varied spirits
- Quiz - they were shown images and had to describe and recognise them - from people to wineries, to strange-looking medical devices!
- Pouring a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Magnum for 18 glasses ensuring each gets the same amount... and no going back to fill up any!
It was a pleasure to watch these consummate professionals being taken through their paces and keeping their cool. I guess that is what a sommelier has to deal with on a daily basis!
Sponsors of the event included Veuve Clicquot, Nederburg, Reciprocal Trading, Riedel Glassware, The Taj Cape Town, and wine.co.za is proud to be their media partner.
Ferreira flew in from London specifically to compete for the South African title.
His journey into hospitality started with two years at The Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, in restaurants and he began his wine career at the Ritz-Carlton in Doha, Qatar, working in the wine bar and fine dining restaurant in the hotel. On returning to South Africa in 2010, he worked at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, first as Assistant Food & Beverage Manager and later as Hotel Sommelier. During this time, he passed his Certified Sommelier Exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers and represented South Africa at the Chaine des Rotisseurs International Sommelier Competition in Athens, Greece.
Then came a move to Senior Sommelier at the World famous Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, a 14 month stint during which he passed his Advanced Sommelier Exam, before returning to the Saxon Hotel as Head Sommelier & Beverage Manager. In November 2014 he took a sommelier position at the Michelin-starred Launceston Place Restaurant in London and, after 6 months, was promoted to head sommelier.
While at Launceston Place, he won the Wines of Australia Blind Tasting Competition, open to all sommeliers and trade in London, was runner up in the Imbibe Sommelier Challenge, and received the prestigious Acorn Award which honours the 30 brightest hospitality stars in the UK under 30 years of age. Recently, Ferreira joined a wine-focused private members club with one of the most extensive wine lists in Europe, 67 Pall Mall, as Assistant Head Sommelier under the tutelage of Master Sommelier Ronan Sayburn.