Gaggenau South Africa announces Sommelier Awards finalists

Gaggenau South Africa, the local division of the German manufacturer of high-quality home appliances, has announced the five finalists who will be competing in the first-ever South African Gaggenau Sommelier Awards on 23 and 24 May in Cape Town.

After receiving CVs, and completed questionnaires, from aspiring sommeliers from across the country, Gaggenau, in association with South African Sommeliers Association (SASA), have selected their top five successful finalists.

The young sommeliers in the finals are:
 Joakim Hansi Blackadder, managing partner in Somm Hospitality Enterprises in Stellenbosch
Wikus Human, sommelier at Marble restaurant in Rosebank, Johannesburg
James Mukosi, assistant sommelier at Rust en Vrede restaurant in Stellenbosch
 Pardon Taguzu, sommelier at Aubergine restaurant and Auslese function venue in Cape Town
Juliet Urquhart, beverage manager and sommelier at the Royal Hotel Silo Hotel in Cape Town

These five wine professionals will have their skills tested in a two-day competition, which takes place at the Gaggenau Showroom, in the Cape Town BSH Experience Centre.

This year’s local competition will be judged by sommelier-at-large Higgo Jacobs, food journalist Abigail Donnelly, wine importer Michael Crossley and Platter’s publisher Jean-Pierre Rossouw.

The winner of this year’s Gaggenau South Africa Sommelier competition will automatically qualify for the International Gaggenau Sommelier Awards that will take place in Beijing, China later this year.

“This competition is an opportunity to not only promote the skills of young sommeliers locally, but to give them the opportunity to represent South Africa on an international level,” says Elizabete Nelson, Gaggenau Communications Manager in South Africa.