“Somm say wine, it is forever”
Gregory Mutambe first came into contact with the world of wine while he was working as a cellar-hand in his home country of Zimbabwe. This is also how he 'fell in love with wine and never looked back'. Although he admits to the fact that he loves numbers and could have become an accountant like his dad; he chose to follow his heart and that’s why he’s now a Qualified Cape Sommelier!
Gregory is currently a sommelier at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, he’s also busy with the Cape Wine Master programme. Gregory studied garagiste winemaking and wine evaluation with the University of Stellenbosch and was also part of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, Wine Judging Academy. Believe it or not, Gregory is also studying towards a B.Com in Economics with UNISA!
“I almost gave up. Marilyn Cooper, the former CEO of Cape Wine Academy (CWA) encouraged me to further my wine studies.”
Gregory believes that 'a love for fine wine and food' are all it takes to be a great Sommelier! “Being a somm is not merely a profession but a lifestyle so you need to live, eat, drink, and study wine.”
Gregory’s favourite cultivar is Chenin Blanc. “It can produce a variety of styles from light to full-bodied, from dry to sweet, and still to sparkling. That means you can pair it with a variety of dishes. South Africa produces some of the top Chenin’s in the world.”
Gregory believes that the augmentation of the sommelier coterie in the South Africa has been great for wine producers as well as for consumers. “There’s better wine awareness across races and cultures in our rainbow nation.”
Gregory loves cooking and one of his favourite winter dishes is oxtail, which he would pair with a matured Cabernet, or a delicious butternut soup and an oaked Chenin.
Gregory joins the Wine-of-the-Month Club panel as a young, committed gentleman who has a wealth of judging experience. “I have been on a lot of top judging panels, plus as a somm, I am exposed to a plethora of wines.”
In his spare time Gregory enjoys touring the winelands and going wine-tasting-naturally! He’s also looking forward to going on a trip to France and Italy where he’ll explore famous wine regions, such as: Burgundy, Bordeaux and Tuscany!