Wine Tasting Academy 2009

During a three-day course, delegates were exposed to a range of top wines intended to refine ideas about wine quality.

The Wine Tasting Academy, now in its third year, seeks to ensure that a steady stream of competent wine judges enters the industry. The initiative was begun by leading wine critic Michael Fridjhon and WINE magazine to help raise the standard of local judging - if advances in local wine quality are to be made, it is essential that there are more individuals across all sectors of the industry experienced in wine assessment and able to defend their viewpoint.

 

The 2009 Wine Tasting Academy was held from 16 to 18 January at the Breakwater Campus of the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business. Although it attracted some 50 applicants, there were only 20 places available, these being allocated primarily according to merit but with the secondary consideration of ensuring a spread of students from different working backgrounds.

Eight students excelled by getting a mark of 75% or higher and thereby earning a distinction. These were:

Trizanne Barnard, winemaker and consultant
Higgo Jacobs, sommelier, The Steenberg
Hotel, Constantia
Jeanne-Marie Kritzinger, bulk wine buyer,
African Pride Wines
Mark Norrish, national general manager,
Ultra Liquors
Louwrens Rademeyer, trainee sommelier,
The Cellars-Hohenhort, Constantia
Gareth Robertson, national brand manager,
Waterford
Cobus van Graan, viticulture manager, KWV
Cathy White, marketing manager for wine,
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