The five female sommeliers competing in the World Blind Tasting Championship, from left: Beverly Mbaika, Victoria Mulu-Munywoki, Joy Adero, Melissa Mwenda, and Soraiya Ladak.
Ten wine bottles covered with black cloth and numbered in red sit on a bar counter. In the room adjacent, five Kenyan sommeliers, all female, are sipping and sniffing wine as they train for the World Blind Wine Tasting Championship set to happen in France.
For the first time, Kenya will be represented in the October event, a wine Olympics of some sort, which has attracted 31 countries, most with a long history of grape-growing, with vineyards dating back as far as the 17th century and rich wine-drinking cultures.
The sommeliers, however, say with decades of wine expertise, they are ready to compete on a global stage. “Kenya is known for its athletes, it is time that we are also known for having wine experts,” says Victoria Mulu-Munywoki, the team leader and a celebrated sommelier who has transformed the wine culture locally.
All five sommeliers have studied wine and made it their career.
“The criteria for the selection of this team were people with knowledge of wine and who have a WSET Level 3 qualification. {A high-level qualification for people looking to work in the wine industry or wine enthusiasts},” she says, adding, “the ladies were ready and had the passion.”
Joy Adero Ochola joined Team Wine Kenya because she likes a challenge.
“I’ve been a wine enthusiast for over 10 years now. I’m really excited to be going to France because this opportunity is not just about the five of us. Being invited to compete on such a huge global level shows that we are making an impact in spaces where traditionally we were not looked at as experts,” she says.
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