Letter to the editor: Despite criticism, Cape sommeliers continue their upward climb

Spencer Fondaumiere.

The following received via email from Spencer Fondaumiere, outgoing chair of the South African Sommeliers Association in response to Michael Fridjhon’s recent article, “The Rise – and potential fall – of the Cape Sommelier”:

 In my role as Chair of the South African Sommeliers Association (SASA) for the past five years, my preference has always been to focus on the work and let the results speak for themselves. Perhaps to our detriment, this approach may have obscured the significant strides we’ve made.

As my extended tenure comes to an end, Michael Fridjhon’s recent article suggesting that the sommelier programme is compromised offers a timely opportunity to highlight what SASA has achieved. While it is always a privilege for our profession to be featured by respected industry voices like Michael, I feel that there are good news data points that he doesn’t prioritize and that are certainly worth sharing. The poor behavior of a few individuals does not, in our view, justify the notion of the potential fall of the Cape Sommelier.

In the post-COVID landscape, SASA shifted its entire focus towards education and certification. I fully agree with the article’s assertion that “the Cape wine industry vitally needs skilled on-consumption salespeople.” With hospitality being one of South Africa’s largest employers, and as one of the top ten wine-producing countries in the world, there is enormous opportunity in developing wine-specific skills for this sector.

Sommeliers sit at the intersection of wine and hospitality. To support access to this profession, we developed the SASA Foundational Certificate, aimed at newcomers to the industry as well as seasoned professionals without formal qualifications. Since its launch, over 500 people have earned this certification, including candidates as far afield as Limpopo. We currently have three training institutions preparing students for the Foundational exam.

For nine years, SASA has been a full member of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), enabling us to certify sommeliers to global standards. We’ve consistently hosted all three levels of the ASI exams in South Africa, and we are one of the few countries that has never failed to field candidates – a fact noted and praised by our international peers.

We’ve also launched our own certification, the SASA Junior Sommelier Certificate, which focuses on South African wine and service knowledge. Our most recent exam took place last month in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, with over 30 candidates participating. We now hold this exam twice a year and have seen participation grow from single digits to nearly 100 candidates annually.

SASA’s success also extends internationally. Member Jo Wessels recently placed seventh in the Best Sommelier of the World competition, a competition South Africa has proudly fielded a representative in since our inception in 2016.  Jo currently heads our examination committee and ensures that all SASA certifications are rigorous, relevant, and aligned with global best practices.

South Africa is one of the few ASI member countries that has consistently organized national Best Sommelier and Best Young Sommelier competitions in alternate years for the last decade. These competitions draw strong participation, and past winners have all gone on to achieve notable success in the industry.

Although SASA’s mandate focuses on certification, we collaborate with partners who offer formal education. The Sommeliers Academy – the only dedicated sommelier school in the Southern Hemisphere – with which we work closely has prepared numerous candidates over the years for a future in hospitality.

We also partner with Chenin Noir, which has consistently brought the Court of Master Sommeliers exams to Africa.

These fully subscribed programmes give sommeliers multiple pathways to formal qualification.

Our commitment doesn’t end with certification. We invest considerable time in recruitment and career support for our members, helping place sommeliers in jobs both locally and internationally through our growing network of global partners.

To enable and unlock these opportunities for all, we are proud to offer numerous bursary opportunities every year thanks to the generosity of both our local and international partners who acknowledge and support our mission.

All of this culminated in our proudest moment to date: hosting the ASI General Assembly last month – the first global sommelier event ever held in Africa. We welcomed 84 top sommeliers from 55 countries and showcased the very best of South Africa. It was unanimously agreed that it was the most successful General Assembly ever organised. So much so, that our organising committee has been asked to create the blueprint for future ASI meetings.

For those who invest in sommeliers, the rewards are clear. I could fill pages with the names of individuals who have worked diligently and become proud ambassadors of SASA, and of hospitality establishments that have embraced our certified members and flourished as a result.

It is beyond our control that individuals may complete WSET or CWA courses and then call themselves sommeliers. More concerning is when employers hire them without proper due diligence – or worse, for the sake of saving costs. It takes a great deal to become a true sommelier. The role demands knowledge in geography, history, viticulture, viniculture, current affairs, and more. When this is undervalued and not fairly compensated, it’s no surprise that professionals seek opportunities abroad. Sadly, employers may then fill the role with unqualified individuals, which not only weakens the perception of the sommelier profession but also leads to the kind of unprofessional conduct – such as failing to honour invitations – that sparked concern in Michael’s article.

There are challenges, yes – but from where I stand, I can only foresee the continued rise of sommeliers in South Africa. As I step away from this role, I do so with deep pride and real optimism for the future of our profession.