Not only did they not take out the top spot, but they were relegated to 11th position, with Sweden, UK and Luxembourg taking the top three places.
But what may have been even more of an affront to the kings of wine, was the fact that a country from the bottom of the world also beat them, coming in admirably at fourth.
The New Zealand team, consisting of five members plus a coach may have wanted to take out the title, but are more than happy to come in fourth, in just their first attempt.
The team consisting of Jennifer Skoda of Black Estate Wines, Dion Wai of The Northern Club, David Napier of Saggio di Vino, Ashley Stewart an engineering student at University of Canterbury and New Zealand Junior Sommelier of the Year Amelia French were coached by the instigator of the team – Cashias Gumbo from George Hotel in Christchurch.
Gumbo who is not only a sommelier, but also runs a wine shop and is a wine judge, first mooted the idea of a New Zealand team competing, two years ago. But with finance and sponsorship required, it was 2017 before the idea came to fruition. Gumbo says he ran a competition in Christchurch first to select the team members. Open to anyone “who thought they had what it takes to smell a glass and tell us what they think is in that glass” was eligible to take part. All competitors who registered were put through similar paces, to what would take place at the French held competition. All were given 12 wines, six white and six red, to taste blind. They had to identify the country of origin, region, main grape variety, vintage and if possible, the producer.
Once the final team had been selected, Gumbo says he pushed them to the limit, ensuring they tasted up to 48 wines every weekend, until they were as ready as they could be to take on the world.
While he initially expected to have a team made up of sommeliers, Gumbo said, he was extremely impressed with the diversity of the team. One was a chef, another a student, another a sales rep for a wine company, while two were winners of the junior sommelier of the year and 2016 Senior Sommelier of the year were also included.
“We really wanted the gold, sorry we didn’t bring it,” he said after the competition. “But we were just thankful that we were able to get there and we didn’t come last.”
Far from last in fact, given there were 24 teams entered, and New Zealand was placed fourth with 94 points. (Sweden the winner had 115 points, UK who were second had 107 and third place Luxemburg had 100).
The annual competition, now into its fifth year, provided some tricky wines for the team, Gumbo said. Particularly the Nebbiolo from Mexico.
“That was difficult. It was our first time to taste a wine from Mexico. It was so salty, that we had no idea. Nobody got that wine right.”
Given how far we are, away from the major old world producers, and the difficulty it can be getting a range of wines here in New Zealand, Gumbo said the fourth place was a major coup. But our isolation probably also helped us he said.
“I think because we are a wine producing country, we have an opportunity to taste so many different varieties. We have an understanding of how a variety should taste which is a help. Looking at producers in France, they are so limited with their appellation laws, they can’t be diverse. Whereas New Zealand can go to France having tasted the grapes that have expressed themselves so well here. I think we have so much more expressive wine than the French, that helped us.”
Having done so well in their first ever competition, Gumbo is keen to do even better in 2018. He is already asking for expressions of interest from potential team members. (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
He also said the opportunity would not have been possible without the generous support from Negotiants NZ, Pegasus Bay Winery, McArthur Ridge Wines and Giesen Brothers who hosted the team at their house and arranged transport for the team while in France.
Documentary will feature NZ coach
While wine was the focus of the Tasting World Championships, there was another angle that stirred the interest of everyone taking part.
It was the fact that four sommeliers from Zimbabwe, now living in South Africa, were entering the annual competition for the first time. The team had been championed by none other than Jancis Robinson, who helped raise funds for the team to compete, through her site jancisrobinson.com
The story of the four men and their journey is now the basis of a documentary by Warwick Ross, the director behind 2013’s Red Obsession.
For Cashias Gumbo, the story of the four men is especially poignant. He himself is originally from Zimbabwe, and like his fellow countrymen, moved to South Africa where “he fell into the wine world”. He knows each of the team members, having spent time honing his own and their skills before moving to New Zealand.
“All of those people has sat around tasting wines in my living room in South Africa.
“I was so proud of them and so happy for them.”
While the Zimbabwe team didn’t reach the heights of the New Zealand team, they didn’t come last. In fact they were in 23rd position, the ignominy of last going to Italy.
Given his relationship with all four members, Gumbo said he is also part of the documentary that is due to be released in 2019.
