Born in Zimbabwe, Tinashe Musora (24) has lived in Hermanus since he was a young child and after completing matric in 2018, he decided to pursue a career in the local hospitality industry.
He joined the Creation Wines team in 2019 and recalls his first experience with wine as somewhat disappointing. Every Friday the team was offered a glass of Creation Wines Méthode Cap Classique Elation. Classified as Brut Nature, the wine lacked residual sugar, making it a stark contrast to what he was expecting, which was a sugary sweet wine.
He immediately wanted to find out more about and enrolled for the Cape Wine Academy’s Introduction to Wine course during the Covid lockdown. The wine bug had bitten and after completing the course, he wanted to learn even more. He completed WSET levels 1, 2 and 3, which he says taught him “almost everything that revolves around the wine industry”.
He attributes his success to Carolyn Martin, co-owner of Creation Wines, describing her as a mother figure and dedicated to uplifting and bringing out the best in him. Other industry role models include Jean Vincent Ridon of the Sommeliers Academy and Laurie Cooper, owner of the KZN School of Wine. Tinashe says they shaped the sommelier in him and continue to inspire him.
He attended the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy course in March and describes it as a life-changing experience. “It was my best experience ever,” he says. “It catapulted me into another realm in wine judging, tasting and assessment.”
His most memorable experience in the wine industry was when Cathy Marston, who heads WSET in South Africa, called to tell him that he’d won the R105 000 Gérard Basset Foundation Bursary to partially cover the cost of the WSET Diploma course. “It was one of my moonshots,” he says. “I still can’t contain my joy and I’m immensely grateful to the foundation, and Cathy and her husband Kevin for this rare and amazing opportunity. It has been a paradigm shift.”
Commenting on being included in the exclusive 30 Under 30 group this year, Tinashe says, “My colleagues, friends and young people see me as a walking wine encyclopaedia and teaching them means a lot to me.”
Rapid fire Q&A
- Favourite wine ever tasted? Eben Sadie Columella
- Favourite bingeworthy TV show? Drops of God and Lupin
- Favourite pick-me-up song? "Waymaker" by Leeland
- Least-known fact about you? I run on fine wine and humour.
- Ideal holiday destination? Paris and Rome
Follow Tinashe's journey via Instagram at @tinashe__musora.