SA wine sommelier a judge at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

1 Jun 2010

Twenty-five-year-old Milton Makhaza, the wine sommelier at the Mount Grace Country House & Spa in the Magaliesburg, has recently returned from the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Italy where he was a judge at the international event.

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles was founded in 1994, and has established itself as the World Tasting Championships. Here, 6600 wines and spirits from around the world compete for the highest accolade, the Grand Gold. The jury consists solely of wine professionals and the event brings together the bon vivants and the finest connoisseurs of wine.

Many distinctions

Makhaza is Mount Grace's assistant F&B manager and wine sommelier, and qualified at the Cape Wine Academy. Amongst his many distinctions he has received the Restaurant Business 2008 Best Wine Service award in Gauteng, is currently Chaîne des Rôtisseurs' best wine sommelier and, most recently, judge at the Concours Mondial De Bruxelles in April 2010.

Makhaza made history last year by becoming the first black South African to qualify as a distinguished Cape Sommelier. The Cape Wine Academy's Cape Sommelier Award is South Africa's official sommelier qualification. Makhaza intends obtaining his master's degree in wine studies at the Cape Wine Academy and to go on to become a Cape Wine Master.