Discovering South African wines publié le 15/06/2023
Students from La Rochelle Hotel & Catering School on a South-African trip – Mrs S.Renaudon
8 fabulous days discovering South African wines
We started to work on this project in 2022 with M. Martin, the sommelier teacher. The aim was for the student sommeliers to practise their professional English and discover wines from the New World, still using Old World techniques. It became a reality when on Monday 24 April, the sommeliers from La Rochelle Hotel & Catering School flew to Capetown in South Africa.
The 8-day programme included a lot of wine discoveries in the vineyards of Constance, Paarl, Franschhoek and, of course, Stellenbosch, as well as cultural visits, exploring Table Mountain
, the flora and fauna of the Cape of Good Hope
and the Aquila African Reserve.
The gastronomic aspect has not been forgotten either, with numerous tastings. Gourmet meals based on food and wine pairings have also revealed the full potential of South African wines, as well as the unsuspected, spicy and innovative magic of South African gastronomy.
The sommelier students have been able to discover the emblematic Klein Constancia vineyards in Cape Town
, with their magnificent Sauvignons and, of course, the legendary ‘vin de Constance’ and its eponymous Muscat.
Other exciting discoveries included vineyards such as Le Bonheur, L’Avenir and Ken Forrester, which, in addition to the impeccable quality of their wines and their famous Pinotages and Chenins, gave us a memorable welcome.
We should also mention the wines from the Avondale estate in Paarl, the Cap Classique (traditional method) wines from the Colmant estate in Franschhoek
and the exceptional Pinotages from Kanonkop in Stellenbosch.
We finished our stay with a visit to Boland College in Paarl where Wickus Van der Westhuizen and his students from Boland Hospitality and Tourism College welcomed us with enthusiasm. It was a great moment of sharing between our sommelier students and the Paarl students.
Both teachers and students are aware that they have had an exceptional and unforgettable experience. Friendships have been forged in South Africa and there’s every chance that some of our students will return there.