Why was the competition introduced?
Wines of South Africa launched the Sommelier Cup in 2010 as part of activities around the football World Cup, which was held in the country that year. Originally intended to be a one-off event, the competition was a great success, attracting top sommeliers from around the globe, so it was decided to repeat the competition every three years as part of the ongoing plans.
Building a relationship with leading sommeliers was a good fit with the Wines of South Africa strategy to focus on building a premium image of the wines and the premium on-trade was a clear area for growth in all the key export markets. At the time the image of South African wines was developing and there was interest from the sommelier community in learning more about South Africa.
The competition combines a number of elements: education, raising awareness of the wines, and then visiting the Cape winelands and experiencing all that South Africa can offer – beautiful landscapes, exciting culture, world-class tourism, warm hospitality and great wines.
The competition happens in two stages. Locally and then globally. Can you explain that process and why it is done that way?
For the UK, the first round of the competition is held in London, at 67 Pall Mall, throughout the day on Monday June 10. Entrants can visit at any time during the day, from 10.00-6pm, allowing 90 minutes to complete the test.
Click here to read the full article