The Sommeliers Selection 2017 Winners Announced

The Sommeliers Selection Wine Competition has revolutionized local wine competitions. It is a competition with a difference, as it is judged solely by top South African Sommeliers.

With the rapid and exciting growth of both the food and wine industry in South Africa over the last 20 years, consumers are looking for experienced guidance when it comes to selecting wine. This competition does just that.

Fresh & Juicy Reds

With categories such as White: Fresh & Crunchy or Red: Voluptuous & Rich or Red: Elegant & Classy, wines of different varieties, blends, and pricing, but stylistically similar can stand alongside each other. The panel of Sommeliers then judges and chooses wines to match the various categories. The wines selected are also deemed exciting enough to fit and an “ultimate” wine list.

Economically Savvy Wine By The Glass - Reds

The Sommeliers Selection panel members blind taste individually, before discussing the wines and deciding if the wine fulfills the criteria of being placed on the Sommeliers Selection wine list.

Elegant & Classy Reds

At the annual feedback session with the winning list, the panel discussed the entered wines, what they looked for in a perfect wine list and which wines “wowed" them as well as the emphasis on the importance of judging wines for ideal pairing with food.

Joakim Hansi Blackadder

The Sommeliers Selection Competition Chairman and current board member of The South African Sommeliers Association, Joakim Hansi Blackadder says, “Freshness, expression and elegance were attributes that stood out amongst this year’s winners at the Sommeliers Selection. The competition, now in its third year, has become one the most relevant and exciting competitions on the yearly calendar with its unique angle and approach. Lengthy and passionate discussions took place between the experienced sommeliers on the panel pertaining to the wines age worthiness, suitability to food, and the overall value for money. At the end, all wines awarded and selected for the wine list was ratified by one final re-tasting by the chair and the two heads of panel. The resulting selection of awarded wines are truly some of the best in the country, and something we can all proudly stand behind. Bravo!”

Joakim Blackadder, a board member of The South African Sommeliers Association (SASA), chaired the 2017 Judging panel of The Sommeliers Selection. He was supported by members of SASA and BLACC, which included sommeliers Pearl Oliver, Joseph Dafana, Billet Magara, Barry Scholfield (Panel Chair), Esmé Groenewald and Spencer Fondaumiere (Panel Chair). They were joined by Trainee Judges Melusi Magodhi and Minnie Mthombeni.

Darielle Robertson announced all the winners at the Awards Ceremony

The winners were announced at a special Awards Ceremony on 27 July, where after the public and trade had the opportunity to taste the winning wines. For a full list of the winning wines visit http://www.thesommeliersselection.co.za/awards.html.

The Hofmeyr Hall in Stellenbosch was the venue for The Sommeliers Selection Awards Ceremony

The Trade and Public tastings will take place in Johannesburg (Thursday, 28 September) and Cape Town (Wednesday, 5 October). For more information visit www.thesommeliersselection.co.za, email info@thesommeliersselection.co.za or phone 084 2073820.