David Clarke: Where to now for sommeliers in South Africa?

By , 24 January 2019

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Where does the average South African sommelier sit in the scheme of things internationally? I have just stepped down from the Board of South African Sommeliers Association – the non-profit organization that aims to help uplift and promote the service of wine in South Africa – and I thought it an opportune time to record some thoughts.

I arrived in South Africa in January 2013, having been in the wine industry (Australia/UK) for 15 years at that time and previously worked as a qualified sommelier in some of Australia’s top restaurants before taking up the role Executive Officer for Sommeliers Australia (SASA’s Australian equivalent).

Just prior to moving here, I enquired about a few “sommelier” positions that were advertised and was told that my salary expectation (converted directly from my Australian salary) was roughly 10 times what was budgeted for the positions. It is also worth noting that upon my arrival, I was one of only about a dozen people with an internationally-recognised sommelier qualification (via the Court of Master Sommeliers) resident in this country. Compare this with the number of certified sommeliers in Australia (not including Advanced and Master Sommeliers) – more than 285.

South African restaurant owners seem to see little advantage employing sommeliers at internationally-competitive rates. And in some ways, I understand this. Due to the “patriotic” nature of the vast majority of wine lists in South Africa (they are almost exclusively made up of South African wines) most of a sommelier’s product knowledge would be rendered irrelevant. South Africa produces approximately 5% of the world’s wine, and when you factor in that roughly only 40% of that is sold in glass bottles (ie. excluding the 60% bulk wine), as a sommelier in South Africa you only have access to a tiny percentage of the world’s wine. My own knowledge of areas of Spain, France, Italy, and Germany, Austria, Greece, South America, and other beverages such as sake, whisky and whiskey, Cognac and Armagnac, etc. has been decimated since moving to South Africa simply due to non-use. “If you don’t use it, you lose it” as the saying goes – true story.

However, I remain positive about the profession in South Africa. As anyone who is mildly interested in wine has noticed, South Africa has been on a roll in terms of wine production – huge increases in numbers of producers, a massive increase in diversity of wine styles produced, new varieties, new growing areas, and most importantly, an overall rising of the tide in wine quality. As a result, keeping up with what is happening in the theatre of South African wine has become difficult, even for the most passionate amateur; and it continues to get harder every vintage. Never has there been a greater need for quality wine service in South Africa. When I say service, I don’t just mean someone who can adequately remove a cork from a bottle and pour wine.

Enter the South African sommelier. Someone whose job and passion it is to stay abreast with all that happens in the industry, continually tastes and talks to not only winemakers, but viticulturalists, grape growers, marketers, distributors and importers. Someone who knows everything about every wine on their list and every dish on their menu. The sommelier’s sole aim should be to guide guests during their visit in order to maximise the guest’s pleasure given their budget, preferences and demands. They are not simply there to dispense your wine, but also give you insights about the skills, techniques and artistry that has gone in to preparing your meal and the accompanying beverages. They wish to nourish your body and your mind, if you let them. This should all be done with the guest in mind, not the sommelier’s ego. You either live and breathe this ethos, or you’re not a sommelier.

South African sommeliers have the luxury of being able to “go heavy” on knowledge of one area of the world’s wine. They can go deep in to South Africa, much deeper than their international colleagues can on any region. The opportunity to be the “Rain Man” of SA wine is there if someone wants it enough. I cannot think of a valid excuse for any sommelier not being extraordinarily knowledgeable about the industry.

Then, there is the matter of skill of service. To become a certified sommelier, there is a minimum requirement in terms of the practical aspects of wine service (opening old bottles/sparkling wine, decanting, pouring, etc). Not having access to the vast majority of the world’s wine does not excuse anyone from not having these skills. South African sommeliers could lead the world in the practical side of the sommelier profession. You can make the dining partner of someone who ordered R100 bottle of wine in a restaurant feel like the only person in the room if you serve it correctly, beautifully, with calculated flair, passion and respect.

When I arrived in South Africa, I thought I may be able to bring some insight and perspective to SASA and was honoured to appointed to the board in 2014 (serving the last two years as the Vice Chairperson). It is worth noting that sitting on the Board is a volunteer position, which is to say, unpaid. I am grateful that so many others have seen fit to donate their time and efforts to also sit on the board.

I am immensely proud of what SASA has achieved during this period. We conducted an internationally-recognised certification for sommeliers for the first time in South Africa. We had a South African representative compete at the Best Sommelier of the World competition for the first time. In addition, we held many, many independent tastings and discussions (usually one a month) for members and non-members to attend, thus slowly but steadily increasing the base level experience and knowledge of the industry. It is worth focusing on the “independent” part of these tastings – it is rare to find professionally run tastings that are without a sales and marketing bias of some sort. It is relatively easy to spot those who rely on the sales and marketing departments of their suppliers for their education.

But, perhaps the achievement of SASA of which I am most proud is the creation, establishment and execution of the SASA Junior Sommelier and SASA Sommelier certifications. These are Levels 1 and 2 of the SASA certification hierarchy and sit under the internationally-recognised Level 3 Advanced Sommelier (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale Diploma).

For the first time there is an independent, internationally-recognised certification body for the sommelier profession in South Africa. This coupled with the two companies linceneced by SASA to train aspiring professionals to pass these qualifications (Sommeliers Academy and SOMM101), and the opportunity for other businesses to do the same, the sommelier profession in South Africa has never looked healthier.

If you, dear reader, have any questions regarding the sommelier profession in South Africa, please post in comments below and I will do my best to answer them.

  • David Clarke runs a wine agency called Ex Animo and exports SA wine to Australia. He recently started a wine-focused series of podcasts. In addition to wine, he enjoys robust discussion, cold beer and cricket.

Comments

13 comment(s)

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    Jannas | 25 January 2019

    Thanx for the great insight into the world of the sommelier. But lets leave the technical mumbo-jumbo and skip to the two most important questions on most wine loving folks minds….
    How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man? AND!….does Ausies also smell guava and then shout out “I smell GUAVA!”??

    Sir Z_S 17 | 25 January 2019

    Looking at the fundamentals that are driving sommeliers to bottle wines under their own labels in my own opinion with Sommeliers experience of years being a certified wine judge credibly and also being the last line of defence in the restaurants scene one is more concerned about quality assessment as well as value for money, this come in light with the interaction to patrons that sometimes need to enjoy not over prised but good quality South African wine.
    Secondly the South African restaurant sector expects so much deliverance from Sommeliers and they do not put in consideration how they are remunerating the said Sommeliers which is by far less than enough to finance the sommeliers education late alone meet their expenditures ,this is also a major factor has seen sommeliers create streams of income buy making wines under their own labels.
    In spite of criticising this movement the wine industry should be thankful the language of wine which has been intimidating to the common man for years is being simplified and reaching the grass roots to the common man at the same time inspiring youths to get education in wine, the progress our wine business needs, this is seeing the growth of wine consumption per ca-pita not only from the wines made by sommeliers as they are a few of them making wine but also other wine producers.
    However the acknowledgement of the wine farms that are willingly working with such sommeliers is of importance depending also on the agreement between both parties.

    Ross | 25 January 2019

    Good Morning David, seeing as there is such a big pay gap for sommeliers in South Africa vs. lots of other new world wine regions, would you think it fit to go and work overseas until being able to afford doing more worthy courses (Wset dip. & Advances sommelier) and returning ? Also looking at Sommeliers which could afford international experience having climbed the ladder quicker than the rest doesn’t it seem viable to leave SA and come back at a later stage ?

      David Clarke | 26 January 2019

      Travel always helps, gives you more perspectives and allows you have a greater diversity of experiences. Working under an experienced mentor is hugely beneficial also. Having a role model can be very helpful in knowing how to develop yourdelf professionally.

    rioja | 25 January 2019

    in South Africa the situation is that wine will be served by a wine steward. my experience is that they generally will know whether a wine is red or white – at best and nothing more. this is highly unsatisfactory. I hope that restauranteurs come to realise the value that a knowledgeable wine steward can add to the general experience of the diner. a true sommelier is a very rare find in one of our restaurants.

    Peter | 24 January 2019

    What are your thoughts on SA sommeliers, working at top class fine dining restaurants, making the move to establish wine brands and then sell wine under their own name? Injustice to winemakers who spent years studying, working and perfecting the art?

      David Clarke | 24 January 2019

      Hi Peter, thanks for the question, and for the “suggested” answer 🙂 Good luck to them, if the wine is good enough to get a market then all well and good. I just hope they see fit to acknowledge who actually grows and makes the wine. But the way wine works, that is not always the eventuality. In short, I think those that are serious will succeed, and those that are posing will be found out.

      Tongai Joseph Dhafana | 25 January 2019

      Hi Peter. The world keeps getting tangled up in unnecessary problems. All because we are focused on competing and being better than next person. In so doing we keep stepping on each other’s toes but that is not how God created us. God meant for us to compliment each other. Sommeliers have been making wine for years eg the Lot which included sommeliers from different establishments. If they are allowed to make wine under the guidance of a professional wine maker, have their wine certified under their brands then sell the wine then I think that’s fine. The sky is huge enough for all the birds to spread their wings. I have seen also a significant rise on export market not bulk and the few wines made by the sommeliers that I know are also exported to overseas, well that’s progress. Have also seen these guys penetrating black market in the townships via BLACC festival which was held in Langa late last year. I think it’s very fine!

    Martin | 24 January 2019

    Hi Dave, where does the SASA certification sit within the scope of the CWA and WSET courses? Is it comparable to any of the courses currently on offer from these institutions?

      David Clarke | 24 January 2019

      Hi Martin, slightly different focus to both of those as they don’t have any service component. CWA is almost exclusively SA focussed which I think is a problem, and WSET is amazing from a general wine knowledge pov, but doesn’t have any service perspective.

        Martin | 25 January 2019

        Thank you, I’ve had a look at the SASA website as well. It’s clear and concise (with some amusing spelling mistakes, hehehe).

    David Clarke | 24 January 2019

    …but not robust conversation about Australia’s recent cricket “exploits” 🙂

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