SIXSOMMELIERS THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF
THE BOLLINGER EXCEPTIONAL WINE SERVICE AWARD
2013
Last year’s Runner-Up and previous
Semi-Finalistsgo through to the 2013 Semi-Finals
A wide range of enthusiastic
applicants entered the First-Round of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service
Award 2013. All applicants completed an ‘open book’ test, from which the top six
have progressed to the Semi-Finals. First-Round candidates were assessed on the
basis of their completed Questionnaire (theoretical component) for which the
minimum pass was 65%, as well as on the basis of their experience in wine
service in fine dining establishments.
Runner-Up of The Bollinger
Exceptional Wine Service Award 2012, Kayetan Meissner, currently Sommelier at Bosman’s
Restaurant at the Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl, and Semi-Finalist in both 2011
and 2012, Eric Botha, currently Sommelier at Bel Punto Restaurant in Umdloti, are
both through again to the Semi-Finals.
Once again this year, all the Semi-Finalists
are from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, the three provinces which
have the highest concentration of fine dining restaurants in South Africa.
The Six 2013
Semi-Finalists are:
|
Gauteng
|
Current employment
|
Previous success in this competition
|
|
Germain Lehodey
|
Restaurant Mosaic, Pretoria
|
|
|
Sean Trollip
|
Kream Restaurant, Pretoria
|
2011 Semi-Finalist
|
|
Xolani Manconywa
|
Saxon Boutique Hotel, Johannesburg
|
|
|
KwaZulu Natal
|
Current employment
|
Previous success
in this competition
|
|
Eric
Botha
|
Bel Punto Restaurant, Umdloti
|
2011 and 2012 Semi-Finalist
|
|
Western
Cape
|
Current employment
|
Previous success
in this competition
|
|
Barry Scholfield
|
Rust en Vrede Restaurant, Stellenbosch
|
|
|
Kayetan Meissner
|
Bosman’s Restaurant at the Grande Roche Hotel, Paarl
|
2011 Semi-Finalist and 2012 Runner-Up
|
·
The Semi-Finals will take place on 5th
August 2013 at Morgenhof Wine Estate in Stellenbosch.
·
The Finalists will compete in Cape Town on 9th
October 2013 at Ellerman House, Bantry Bay.
·
The winner of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service
Award 2013 will be announced at an exclusive Champagne event at Ellerman House on
31st October 2013, and will win a trip to France, including a trip to the
prestigious House of Champagne Bollinger. The Runner-Up
will win a one
night stay for two, including bed and
breakfast, at Ellerman House.
Competition criteria and judging:
The competition entry criteria are:
·
Those currently employed in the service of food and
wine and with a history of minimum three years of such service.
·
Contestants are required to have substantial knowledge
of the local wine scene and of the professional service of both food and wine.
·
An adequate knowledge of international wine
appellations and styles of wine is also a prerequisite.
·
More importantly, however, the contest examines the
ability of those selling wine in the hospitality industry to relate what is
produced in South Africa to the expectations of international visitors more
familiar with the major wine producing regions of the world.
Semi-Finalists for the practical
component of the competition are tested on their knowledge of wine styles and
tasting ability in the form of a blind tasting. They are further assessed on
their competence in making food and wine pairing recommendations, and finally
on their ability to perform tasks of professional wine service.
Judges at all rounds of the competition
include internationally trained sommeliers, Cape Wine Masters and members of
the hospitality trade.
The South African Sommelier
Association is fully behind The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Award and
some of its members will again be judges at the Semi-Finals and the Finals.
Additional information on The Bollinger
Exceptional Wine Service Award
The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service 2012 Award
2012 Winner:
·
Wayve
Kolevsohn: Previously employed at The Roundhouse in Camps
Bay and currently the Sommelier at The Test Kitchen, Cape Town;
2012 Runner-up:
·
Kayetan
Meissner: A Sommelier at the Saxon Boutique Hotel in Sandhurst, Johannesburg at
the time.
2012 Judges:
·
Mia
Martensson, Sommelier and Sales Manager for The Winery Of Good Hope
- Kent Scheermeyer, Sommelier and founder
of KSconsult
- Neil Grant, Sommelier and co-owner of
Burrata Restaurant, Cape Town
- Ginette de Fleuriot, Cape Wine Master
& Marketing Manager for Vinimark The Wine Company
- Higgo Jacobs, Sommelier and consultant
This annual competition, which is aimed at enhancing
and recognising the calibre of local sommeliers and wine service staff, was
launched in 2011 and proved to be a resounding success.
Champagne Bollinger is proud to be the main sponsor
of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Award. The competition is a joint
initiative between Vinimark The
Wine Company (importer of Champagne Bollinger and South Africa’s largest
independent specialist wine wholesaling company) and The Reciprocal Wine
Trading Company, importers and distributors of Riedel Glassware.
Ginette de
Fleuriot, Marketing Manager
at Vinimark The Wine Company and organiser of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine
Service Award comments, “This industry-wide initiative was established
to advance the interests of all of the country's fine wine producers, as well
as those who make their living from the sale of wine in hotels, restaurants and
wine bars. The sponsors and organisers trust that this competition will
continue to act as a catalyst for the hospitality industry to expand training
facilities and support local sommeliers and sommeliers-in-training, in the
interests of all those who enjoy dining out.”
Neil
Grant, Chairperson of the South African Sommelier Association (SASA), states: “Wine
service has a poor history in South Africa and only with incentives such as
these will we find an improvement within the industry. Chefs in South Africa
over the past 10 years have proven how good they are and now wine stewards/sommeliers
need to be part of this movement so we can challenge the international
markets.” SASA has committed to mentoring the winning
candidates to further assist in guaranteeing continued professional wine
service of an international standard.
ENDS
