I loved the afternoon tea – a traditional must have. Sofas and stuffed armchairs and a table overstuffed with cake mountains and scones. I loved the stylish restaurant. It had a special vegan menu and vegetables were farm to table fresh and exquisite. Everything paired with incredible wines. Sourced by the incredible Pearl Oliver. A woman doing so well in a world that is traditionally male.
You are holding a top job in one of the best hotels in the world. What was your career path like? Was it hard to make it? I think in the earlier days it was much harder, but it still is not all that easy as I am still faced daily with challenges from all areas – it keeps me on my toes.
When did you first have the ambition to be a sommelier? The ambition to be a Sommelier only came to me later. I was more drawn to the service side of wine, the opening of a bottle of Champagne, the elegant decanting of a vintage wine etc before I became captured by the beauty inside the bottle. Goodness and when I realised what happens when you serve the correct food with the correct wine aah, my breath was taken away. Still today, I find the marriage of good food and wine magical.
I read that women`s palate is far cleverer than the male palate. What do you think? I don’t think we should put it down to women or men, I think it is an individual gift that can only be enhanced by practise. I know a few men with great palates.
What are a couple of your personal favourite wines and why? Asking me about my favorite wine is like asking a mom who is her favorite child. Really hard to decide. Depends on day, mood, who I’m with and what I’m eating most of the time. I normally love and enjoy a bubbly, If I could have my way I would drink Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1997 all the time or Taittinger Comtes De Champagne 2002, I also enjoy a bit of Sterhuis Blanc de Blanc and my good old neighbours Steenberg Blanc de Blanc as well as their Pinot Noir. Hartenberg Red wines have my heart. I try to drink International wines as often as I can however I am not achieving this often enough.
Do you have plans for the future? I definitely have plans for the future, I cannot share it just yet as it will contribute to which ever company I find myself in when the time has come.
Do you have a favorite local vineyard or wine cellar? As I mentioned before, I love Hartenberg and what Carl Shults (wine-maker) is doing, however Steenberg Vineyard holds my heart as I had my first glass of wine there – the Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2001.
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