We at the South African Sommeliers Association (SASA) have some incredibly exciting news to share: This October, our very own Armand Ridgard (SASA Best Sommelier of South Africa 2025) is heading to Lisbon in Portugal to fly the flag for South Africa at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World 2026.
This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase what South African hospitality, grit, and passion look like on the international stage and to help pave the way for the next generation of professionals.
The journey to Lisbon needs not just talent, skill, and preparation, but also the support of our community as a whole.
What Armand is up against
The ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World is the world's leading competition for professional sommeliers, bringing together representatives from ASI member countries to compete at the highest level of the profession.
From 11 to 17 October 2026, sommelier representatives from all over the globe will converge on Lisbon to compete head-to-head across blind tasting, wine and beverage knowledge, food and wine pairing, service, communication, and the ability to perform under intense pressure. Years of preparation can come down to a few minutes on stage.
For South Africa, Armand's participation is an opportunity to put our flag alongside the world's best, raise the profile of our profession internationally, and inspire the next generation of South African sommeliers to believe that they can compete at this level, too.
The warm-up
In July, Armand travelled to Brazil to attend the ASI Bootcamp, joining sommeliers from around the world for an intensive week of training and preparation ahead of the competition.
He had the opportunity to rub shoulders with and learn from some of the industry's most experienced and influential voices, including Isa Bal, Doug Frost MW, MS, Marc Almert, and Sören Polonius, while training alongside many of the sommeliers who will also compete in Lisbon.
Reflecting on the experience, Armand said: "This bootcamp has given me a fantastic reference point and framework. I'm going in with an open mind and a ferocious drive to represent South Africa to the best of my abilities."
Armand's participation in the Brazil Bootcamp was made possible through the generous support of Mike Ratcliffe, who covered the expenses of his trip.
Mike has been championing our industry for years, having invested in the development of South Africa's top sommelier talent several years ago with a long-term vision towards competing at the ASI Contest Best Sommelier of the World.
Thanks to his dedication, South Africa will be hosting the ASI Best Sommelier of Africa and Middle East on African soil for the first time in ASI history. The eyes of the global wine world will be directly on us. Supporting Armand now builds the foundation for our home-ground showcase next year.
Because of Mike's long-term commitment to developing South African talent, our professional sommelier pathway is stronger than ever. Now, it's our turn to carry that momentum all the way to Lisbon.
Now, we need you
OUR GOAL: R60 000
SASA has created a BackaBuddy fundraiser to help cover the costs of Armand’s journey and get him to Lisbon fully prepared and supported.
We want to make every cent count. Here is exactly where your investment goes:
- Flights: Getting Armand (and his tasting tools) safely to Portugal and back.
- Accommodation: A quiet base in Lisbon to rest, study, and prep between rounds.
- Training and tastings: Specialist coaching, mock exams, and access to premium tasting flights.
How you can support the team:
- Give financially (every Rand counts!): Every contribution, large or small, brings us closer to our R60 000 goal. Click HERE to donate to the BackaBuddy campaign.
- Give your time: If you have coaching, mentorship, or specialist beverage knowledge to share, run a practice session with Armand.
- Give your resources: Training opportunities, tastings, accommodation, or other resources can also help Armand prepare for Lisbon. Sharing study resources, or donating bottles of tricky, non-classic wines for blind tasting makes a massive difference. If you or your organisation can contribute in kind, we'd love to hear from you.
- Give the campaign reach: Send the fundraiser campaign to your colleagues, restaurants, wineries, suppliers, friends, and your wider network. Share this article, post on your socials, and talk to your wine-loving friends. You never know who might be able to help take the next step. When posting on social media, tag @asisomms_ , @sommeliers.org.za, and @escancoesdeportugal and add the hashtags #RoadtoLisbon2026 and #ASIBestSomm. Let’s make some noise!
Together, we can give Armand the support he needs to represent South Africa on the world stage.
We can show the world what South African sommeliers are capable of.
And we can demonstrate to the next generation of South African sommeliers that this stage is within reach.
Let's take the Road to Lisbon together.
For more information or to offer your assistance, contact us at info@sommeliers.org.za.