A chance to fly our flag in France

One of those is Moses Magwaza, a commis sommelier at Restaurant Mosaic run by South Africas' reigning Chef of the Year Chantel Dartnall. Magwaza has successfully completed his Certificate Course at the Cape Wine Academy, his South African Brandy Course as well as taking an extensive tour recently of the South African Winelands.

He tasted the newest vintages from the winemakers' cellars with a like-minded group of wine enthusiasts and budding young sommeliers, under the watchful eye and guidance of Cape Wine Master and general manager of Wine Cellar in Gauteng, Debi van Flymen.

"It was an oenophiles dream excursion and I got to meet so many top South African winemakers and learnt so much from them," says Magwaza.

Next year he will be off to France to expand his knowledge and his palate. However, the award-winning restaurant would like to extend the opportunity to emerging sommeliers around South Africa, together with the South African Wine Tasting Championships has announced the launch of the Mosaic Protégé programme.

The bursary will offer the winner three years at Restaurant Mosaic, working alongside acclaimed French sommelier Germain Lehodey and Magwaza himself. He or she will receive the necessary formal education required to achieve the best professional knowledge and will automatically become a member of Team South Africa who will fly the South African colours in France at the World Blind Challenge in October 2015.

The first Gauteng candidate selection took place yesterday, 13 May, during the Juliet Cullinan Standard Bank Wine Festival at the Inanda Club.

"We are delighted that this competition will be launched at our show which proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary this year," says Cullinan.

The Western Cape selections take place in June and the KZN heats in Durban in August with the finals scheduled in Cape Town in November.

For more information, go to www.sawtc.co.za.