Aljoe Beziek crowned South Africa’s best young sommelier

Aljoe ‘Joe’ Mario Beziek has claimed South Africa’s best young sommelier title after winning the South African Sommeliers Association’s 2026 competition in Johannesburg. The Ellerman House sommelier took out the crown on 1 July following a gruelling day of practical and theoretical examinations at the Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa.

Beziek brings serious academic credentials to the role. He holds a B.Agric in Oenology and Viticulture, along with SASA Junior Sommelier and ASI 1 certifications, a foundation that clearly set him apart from a competitive field of rising wine professionals.

Competition tested top sommelier talent

The association’s 16 June post had already placed him among the semi-finalists, alongside contenders from Oldenburg Vineyards, the Saxon Hotel, Delaire Graff Restaurant, Dusk Restaurant and other leading hospitality venues.

The finals drew finalists from some of Cape Town and Johannesburg’s most prestigious hospitality venues, including Oldenburg Vineyards, the Saxon Hotel, Delaire Graff Restaurant and Dusk Restaurant. The association emphasised the intensity of the competition: candidates faced rigorous examinations across both practical application and theoretical wine knowledge.

‘The calibre of talent, service and knowledge demonstrated by our younger generation of sommeliers is immensely promising for the future of both the profession and South Africa’s hospitality industry,’ said SASA chair Laurie Cooper.

For Beziek, the win signals the growing quality and sophistication of South Africa’s wine service profession, particularly among younger practitioners who are bringing fresh energy and expertise to the country’s hospitality sector.