Star Wine List will celebrate the great wine lists of South Africa on 4 October 2022 for the first time, at the Champagne Telmont Best Young Sommelier of South Africa 2022 event in Stellenbosch. The international sommelier jury has now decided the finalists.
Star Wine List of the Year is a celebration of the great wine lists in the world and the teams behind them. In South Africa, we are teaming up with The South African Sommeliers Association and their event “Champagne Telmont Best Young Sommelier of South Africa 2022” (held in partnership with the Stellenbosch Wine Routes). The Star Wine List of the Year prize is awarded in seven categories, and the winners will also qualify for the International Final in 2023.
Founder Krister Bengtsson
The jury, including top international sommeliers Heidi Mäkinen MW, Marc Almert and Piotr Pietras MS, is done deliberating, and the finalists have been selected.
“South Africa is one of the most dynamic wine countries in the world and we are super excited to bring our celebration to South Africa for the first time. We look very much forward to highlighting the work being done by sommelier teams and restaurateurs all over the country,” says Krister Bengtsson, founder and publisher of Star Wine List.
The Grand Prix award is presented by Winterhalter. Sustainability has gotten its own category, and TOPS at SPAR joins as partner for the Special Jury Prize. Other categories are the Best Sparkling Wine List and the Best By the Glass List.
About the jury The jury for the Star Wine List of the Year South Africa 2022 comprises both international and local judges. Three of the most renowned sommeliers in the world: Heidi Mäkinen (Master of Wine, President Finnish Sommelier Association), Marc Almert (ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2019) and Piotr Pietras (Master Sommelier). And as our local judge we have Tawanda Marume (Best Sommelier of Zimbabwe 2020).
Star wine list finalists
Grand Prix
The best large wine list, with more than 600 references. A category presented by Winterhalter
● Aubergine Restaurant, Cape Town
● Café du Vin, Franschhoek
● Noop, Paarl
● Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, Johannesburg
Best Medium-Sized List
The best wine list with 200-600 listings
● Culture Wine Bar, Cape Town
● Ellerman House, Cape Town
● FYN Restaurant, Cape Town
● Ivory Manor Boutique Hotel, Pretoria
● Marble Restaurant, Johannesburg
● Signature Restaurant, Johannesburg
By the glass
The best wine list by the glass
● Café du Vin, Franschhoek
● Culture Wine Bar, Cape Town
● ëlgr restaurant, Cape Town
● Marble Restaurant, Johannesburg
● Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, Johannesburg
● Simon Wine Emporium, Stellenbosch
Best Sparkling Wine List
The best list with sparkling wine
● Aubergine Restaurant, Cape Town
● Marble Restaurant, Johannesburg
● Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, Johannesburg
● SanDeck Sandton Sun, Johannesburg
● Zioux, Johannesburg
Sustainable Wine List
The winner will be announced on 4 October 2022
Best Short List
The best wine list with fewer than 200 listings
● ëlgr restaurant, Cape Town
● La Colombe, Constantia
● Lanzerac Traphuis, Stellenbosch
● Proud Mary, Johannesburg
● Simon Wine Emporium, Stellenbosch
● The Charles, Cape Town
Special Jury Prize
Recognises a venue that has done something out of the ordinary, presented by TOPS at SPAR.
● Embarc, Johannesburg
● Folk Café, Cape Town
● Penny Noire, Cape Town
● Silver Orange, Hartbeespoort
● The Service Station Wine Bar, Rosenda
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Stellenbosch Wine Routes Sommelier Bootcamp launches in September. Creating a memorable story: It’s back to basics for Stellenbosch in its wine terroir education initiative.
To remain competitive, renowned wine regions must not only produce quality wines, but tell engaging stories about themselves.
While the quality track record of Stellenbosch is undeniable, the wine route is now going beyond this by embarking on an educational programme to give sommeliers a common language to describe Stellenbosch’s terroir, so that they can communicate the district’s unique wine story and inspire conversations.
“There are so many wine brands,” says Thomas Webb of Thelema.
“We need to do everything we can to promote our wines. And our terroir is the most obvious one. It’s important to look at the wards of Stellenbosch and promote them. The more we look at the smaller level, the more we push up the whole region and country. Now is definitely the time for specialisation.”
In order to create Stellenbosch wine and terroir experts, the Stellenbosch Wine Routes Sommelier Bootcamp will be launched in September this year. Aimed at sommeliers, hospitality professionals and wine media across the country, this bootcamp will be a five-day intensive course featuring both online and practical immersion in Stellenbosch.
It will cover aspects such as viticulture, tutored technical tastings, and site visits with producers and experts. The delegates will have to complete a practical assessment to be awarded their Stellenbosch ambassador’s pin.
