George Young emerged as the first runner-up at the Champagne Telmont Best Young Sommelier of South Africa competition on 4 October 2022. A newcomer to the wine industry, he's been working as a sommelier at Oldenburg Vineyards in Stellenbosch for a year, and it's easy to see that he's truly passionate about wine.
What inspired you to become a sommelier and how did you learn?
I grew up not knowing much about wine. In 2019, after having moved down to the Western Cape looking for work, I did a couple of wine tastings. At my second tasting, on a very quiet Wednesday afternoon, the manager of the tasting room actually sat down with me and spoke me through everything the wine had to say and why we were getting certain characteristics.
After that, I was hooked. I fell deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, and I just had to know more. So I read what I could, and eventually completed WSET Levels 2 and 3. Shortly after my WSET I decided to switch careers, and I've been in the wine industry ever since.
What is it like to work at Oldenburg Vineyards?
Working at Oldenburg is GREAT. I have colleagues that are as passionate about wine as I am. It reminds me how fortunate we are to be in such a cool industry!
What is your favorite wine?
My favorite wine is the wine in my glass... That is such a difficult question to answer. I love Rhône wine varietals and, at the moment, the lighter styled red wines.
What tips do you have for people interested in working as a sommelier?
I found that my studies played a massive role on getting me into the industry. It's also very important to be willing to learn and grow as you go, be passionate, and enjoy working with people daily. The wine industry really has the most caring and helpful people that will help you as much as they can.