Wine has become part of Kenyan dining culture, but the question lingers: if I am hosting a Christmas lunch or New Year's dinner, what wine should I serve to impress? Or what wines go well with Kenyan food?
With all the tricky elements that go into creating a memorable feast, wine’s role can fade into the background of good nyama choma (barbeque meat) or salmon.
But good wine renews weary taste buds and reawakens the appetite.
For wine experts like Joy Adero, Victoria Mulu-Munywoki, and Soraiya Ladak, who have tasted different grapes, taught Kenyans about matching-specific-bottles-to-particular-dishes and sold hundreds of fine bottles, the holiday season is the time to shine.
Sommeliers say Kenyans have already started asking what to stock and seeking to hire them in their private functions.
“What I have noticed is that many people who are hosting dinner parties or a close gathering of friends and want to serve wines will hire a sommelier who will do a tasting for them, pair the foods and the wines just to make the experience cohesive and more knowledgeable for their guests,” Ms Adero tells the BD Lifestyle.
Where does a sommelier come in if you are hosting?
Ms Adero says that a sommelier’s work starts way before the D-day.
“You will have your food menu and it is the sommelier's job to suggest the wines for the pairing. That is the first step. On the day of the actual dinner or lunch, as a sommelier I would have to show up very early to prepare and make sure that the wine that needs to be chilled is chilled, what needs to be decanted is decanted, and ensure that there are proper glasses,” she says.
Wine connoisseur Joy Adero at The Market Cellar in Artcaffe Market on Rhapta Road on December 19, 2023.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
What is to be served depends on the kind of event.
“If it is a sit-down dinner, then each meal should be paired with wine. Therefore, as the chef brings out the dishes, I also bring in the wines. If it is a more informal event like a stand-up cocktail, then I would have to ask each of the guests what kind of wine they would prefer, give them a bit of information on it and serve them as they come in or as the host prefers.”
Wines to serve this Christmas
Ms Adero adds that the wine list is a personal affair depending on the food menu.
“The wine will also depend on what kind of dish you will serve. As a sommelier, I also have to look at how the food has been prepared. For instance, if you are serving chicken, the wine that you would pair with chicken salad is different from what you would pair with chicken curry. For a chicken salad, you would go with dry wine, while the curry would be compatible with sweeter wine because of the spices and the heat," she says.
For her clients, Ms Adero often recommends Sauvignon Blanc “because it is bright and fresh. I also recommend a lot of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon because Kenyans tend to enjoy their meat, and it is a good accompaniment. I also recommend a lot of southern Italian wines these days, like Primitivo (made from dark-skinned wine grapes) and Nero d’Avola (one of Italy's most important indigenous varieties) because they are quite robust,” she says.
Ms Adero adds that it is important for a sommelier to stay cognisant of the time of day while deciding which wines to serve. For a very hot afternoon, it would not be wise to go in with the full-bodied red wines, and it would be prudent to start with the light white wines and the rosé wines.
“As we approach the evening, then you can introduce the heavier wines that go with a drop in temperature and when people are eating more. A combination of really good food and really good wine is fantastic.”
How much does a sommelier cost?
Private sommeliers are paid a minimum of $200 (Sh25,000) a day uncapped. The price is dependent on the experience level of the sommelier, the client’s budget, the number of guests, and the time that it will take to plan the event.
Ms Ladak, also the director of The Wine Shop in Nairobi which stocks a variety of bottles brings in the aspect of consultation for sommeliers in Kenya.
“I am having people calling to ask me for recommendations for food and wine pairing and the wines to serve for Christmas.” So what does she consider when recommending wine?
“I ask my clients to tell me the food that they are serving, the time of day of the gathering, the number of people attending, and the demographic of the invitees. Is it friends, family or colleagues at work? If it is more of a work function, the wines would have to be cautious of the budget, if it is a family gathering, I try to recommend something more personable, something that is more emotional and can allow for the forging of a connection,” she says, adding that she often finds herself recommending full-bodied red wines from France, Italy and Spain for dinner.
Soraiya Ladak, One of the Directors at the Wine Shop Kenya in Nairobi pictured at the shop on September 21, 2024.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
During the day, she recommends new world wines from South Africa, New Zealand or Argentina.
Ms Ladak compares a sommelier to a conductor in an orchestra.
“In the way a conductor brings everything together in an orchestra, a sommelier does that for a great food experience. They bring all the parts together; the emotions, the food, the tasting, the senses. They give you a completely theatrical experience that makes it all very memorable by imparting knowledge, and facts and giving a nice sensory experience.
Ms Mulu-Munywoki says that when hiring a sommelier this festive season, one should get an experienced person. Look into: “Do they have some references? Whom have they worked for before? It is easy to suss out the experience of a sommelier. Since it is a private event and can even happen in a private home, you do want to get yourself a trustworthy person who has integrity and who will not jeopardise your privacy. A sommelier also has to be dynamic,” she says.
The primary role of a sommelier, according to Ms Mulu-Munywoki, is to educate and entertain the guests.
“They are not the Master of ceremonies but they are there to seal the knowledge gap, to ensure that people enjoy their food and wine. At a food and wine pairing, it is for the sommeliers to ensure that there is a sync between the kitchen and the guests. To ensure that everything is flowing well,” she points out.
It should not be the host’s problem to worry about the food in the kitchen or whether the wine is cold enough. A good sommelier will guide the service and synchronise with the chef in the kitchen to ensure that everything is seamless. The sommelier has to be receptive to the client’s needs.
She notes that the demand for sommeliers this festive season is higher, with more people having an understanding and appreciation of private sommeliers.
Victoria Mulu-Munywoki holding a glass of wine during practice for the blind wine competition at the Wine Shop Kenya in Nairobi on September 21, 2024.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Non-alcoholic wines
“Over the years I have enjoyed the fact that being a sommelier has been a steady work stream for me," she says.
When recommending wines, she says that a sommelier should work with the client’s budget.
“Don’t recommend wines that are outside what the client is willing to pay. As a rule of thumb, sparkling wine should always be on the wine menu. It is a good way to start an evening. It could be different types of sparkling wine. You can recommend Cava from Spain, Franciacorta and Prosecco from Italy, and Cap Classique from South Africa. However, if your clients want to splurge, you can always go for champagne. The other types of wine you recommend should also depend on the dishes being served and what the event aims at achieving.”
She urges sommeliers to also suggest non-alcoholic wines to the clients.
“There are non-alcoholic wines available in the Kenyan markets for those who do not take alcohol or for those who drink very little alcohol. You should also have soft drinks included. A good sommelier should remember that not everybody can drink more than one glass of wine or wants to drink wine. The secret to delivering a good service as a sommelier is to think over and beyond what is required,” she says.
