Our Story
Creating opportunity and raising standards with successful outcomes at the heart of everything we do
Sommeliers Academy was created in 2016 to meet a growing demand to deliver world class wine service and sommelier training in the fast-moving hospitality industry of South Africa. From the start, Sommeliers Academy has been focused on achieving positive results for all our students with more than just knowledge at the center of our course development. As the leading Sommelier training provider in Africa, we are firmly focused on giving our students the personal skills and confidence to help them achieve their career dreams. We are now training over 400 students per year and have attracted a team of experienced international sommeliers and the most qualified facilitators the industry can offer. As a student of Sommeliers Academy, you can be confident that we will help you succeed on every step of your wine journey. As a result of the on-going Covid Pandemic we have developed new distant learning options via our online training portal. Our list of courses are growing please check with us if you don’t find what you are looking for, we are more than happy to assist you.
Meet Our Team
Jean Vincent RIDON
Manager
ASI International Sommelier Diploma
Certified SASA Sommelier
Coffee Sommelier – Certified CMS
Neil Tabraham
Partner
Certified SASA Sommelier
BA (Hons) Wine Business (University of Brighton UK)
Higgo Jacobs
Partner
Certified SASA Sommelier
Certified Court of Master Sommeliers
Carey-Ann Brown
Manager
Harare Campus
What our students have to say
“I completed my Junior Sommelier course end of 2023 and now I am abroad working for Celebrity Eclipse as a Sommelier! The course really changed my life. Thank you so much for the support from the Sommeliers Academy Team”
— Siyonela Mntonga
Sommelier, Celebrity Eclipse
“I was privileged to study with Sommeliers Academy after being awarded the Best Wine Steward of 2019 at the Distell Inter Hotel Challenge. They welcome you with open arms and equip you with all the required study material and confidence to succeed, the Sommeliers Academy team are the best.”
— Lovejoy Neshamba
Best Wine Steward of 2019
“Stepping into the sommelier world for the first time in my career, my experience with Sommelier Academy was phenomenal. It was a real eye opener to a whole new world which teaches you to broaden your mind as to what is out there, and what the role of a sommelier is all about.”
— Samantha Swartz
“I started learning at Sommeliers Academy without any knowledge of wine. The facilitators are amazing, knowledgeable and invest so much time in the students. They teach more than just wine and service, I learned how to be comfortable in what I do and to become the best version of myself.”
— Freda-Marizen Jacobs
SASA Junior Sommelier, Robertson