Sommelier. It’s a career discussed in articles and a position found in South African restaurants with increasing frequency. Thanks to South African Sommeliers Association and other educators, there’s greater interest notably from younger people in learning about this profession.
Few young sommeliers have achieved as much as Marc Almert, who was 25 when he won the WOSA Sommelier Cup in 2016 and, earlier this year took the coveted title of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale Best Sommelier in the World, beating 66 other sommeliers from 63 countries.
When he was in South Africa last month to judge on this year’s WOSA Sommelier Cup, I chatted to Marc about why he became a sommelier and the life it involves.
Born in Cologne, he attended a British school in Germany, where he learnt (impeccable) English and French; German, of course, is his mother tongue. Language skills are not only valuable for a sommelier but also required in competitions.
He saw the hospitality industry as a route to pursue his love of travel, instilled as a child when touring Europe with his parents.
It was working in Michelin star establishments, with their quality wine programmes, where his fascination with wine began. Naturally competitive he was soon entering and winning competitions. His next goal is to become a Master Sommelier; with the service component under his belt, tasting and theory are the two remaining hurdles which need to be passed within three years.
Are competitions relevant to his daily work? ‘Yes and no.’ He expands; ‘At competitions, sommeliers who work alone in a restaurant have the opportunity to meet and learn from other sommeliers. I also enter with the aim of becoming a better sommelier and to become more resilient to stress.’
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