Semi-finalists selected for Bollinger wine service award

Runner-up of the 2012 competition, 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. The others are Germain Lehodey from Restaurant Mosaic, Pretoria, Sean Trollip from Kream Restaurant, Pretoria (also a 2011 semi-finalist), Xolani Manconywa from Saxon Boutique Hotel, Johannesburg and Barry Scholfield from Rust en Vrede Restaurant, Stellenbosch.

First-round candidates were assessed based on their completed questionnaire (theoretical component) for which the minimum pass was 65% and on their experience in wine service in fine dining establishments.

The semi-finals will take place on 5 August 2013 at Morgenhof Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, with the finalists competing in Cape Town on 9 October 2013 at Ellerman House, Bantry Bay. The winner will be announced at an exclusive champagne event at Ellerman House on 31 October 2013 and will win a trip to France, including a trip to the house of Champagne Bollinger. The runner-up will win a one-night stay for two, including bed and breakfast, at Ellerman House.

Ginette de Fleuriot, marketing manager at Vinimark The Wine Company and organiser of the award comments, "This industry-wide initiative was established to advance the interests of all of the country's fine wine producers and 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."

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 award and some of its members will again be judges at the semi-finals and the finals.

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 assist in guaranteeing further continued professional wine service of an international standard.

For more information, go to www.wineserviceaward.co.za.