Profiles

Samuel Ndichu's career in wine

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Samuel Ndichu, a sommelier in Nairobi. PHOTO | POOL

Few people get to meet their idols. But when Samuel Ndichu walked into an auditorium last year where Marc Almert, world’s best sommelier, was seated, he was unsure whether to allow himself to be consumed by a brisk moment of ecstasy or to still himself.

The award-winning sommelier was in South Africa for a wine waiters’ competition. Almert, 29, his role model in wine circles, was on the panel of the judges who would review his presentation.

“It was unbelievable,” Samuel recalls, transported back to that moment of fame with the German who the International Association of Sommeliers (ASI) named the finest sommelier in the world 2019.

It took Samuel a few moments to recover himself to make his best presentation in front of a high-octane panel of global wine experts.

If a wine himself, Samuel would be a Zinfandel, he tells me. A red wine, Zinfandel is produced from a black-skinned variety of grapes grown in Californian vineyards. I wonder why. “I possess the vibrancy, spice, and character of Zinfandel wine,” he says with relish.

“Zinfandels aren’t popular in this market and are sometimes misunderstood. They’re under the radar but once you get to know them, they’re irresistible.”

The Level Two Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certificate holder comes off as chatty and vivacious. After all, he speaks for hours during wine presentations and training. Except he is a reserved person. Away from wine, he keeps to himself, mostly reading about the craft.

His favourite part of the job? Tasting.

“After teaching the theory of winery, the practical part involves drinking,” he says. It is no wonder then that Samuel’s bio is a quote from his favourite character Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones: (That’s what I do) I drink and I know things.

After 10 years in the alcohol space, what vibe does wine have on his psyche? “This was more of a job when I started. There was no particular drive. Over the years though, I’ve grown into the craft to love and enjoy what I do. Now I talk about wine all the time, sell wine, and teach about wine.”

He may not be getting paid to drink wine as yet, but Samuel lives exclusively off wine, doing wine consultations and tasting events for makers, hotels, and wine dealers.

To wine enthusiasts, 2020 has been a train wreck. Dining experiences, a sommelier’s mainstay, have been few to nil. Samuel says that while the economy has largely opened up, the few wine events taking place are being held in a restricted environment of Covid-19 safety protocols.

These controls have essentially robbed events of their usual flair, he laments. “Wine companies and the industry rely on events to market their products and to educate the public. Events are largely to thank for the popularity of wine in Kenya. These events are also no longer for the elite.”

He notes that when organisers cannot pull large numbers to their events owing to the health scare, they cut down on the number of service personnel, including wine expert and caterers. Thus jobs suffer.

This season has also had a silver lining. Virtual tastings and food and wine pairing events, pioneered in the country by veteran wine consultant Victoria Munywoki, are on the rise. “Victoria has taught us that you don’t have to converge in a physical space to enjoy wine with others. No one incurs travel and accommodation expenses, making them cheaper,” he says.

These virtual events have also been a personal triumph for Samuel. “I’ve met more wine experts during this time than I’ve all my life, some of them are global figures I’d probably never have met.”

Samuel notes that when eateries, bars, and hotels closed down due to the pandemic, this pushed the circulation of wine brands that were initially scarce but which were now selling at liquor stores in the country.

On determining pairings, Samuel says this is as much an art as it is a science.

“The flavour of the wine is determined by the flavour of the dish. Ideally, the object is either to complement or contrast each other, or simply to blend,” he explains.

He adds: “Fatty foods go well with acidic wines such as Sauvignon Blanc. Lighter foods are best paired with lighter wines.” Equally, heavy dishes such as nyama choma should be paired with dense wine varieties.

For many years, fine diners have been advised to accompany white meat with white wine while red wine goes with red meat. He disagrees with this old wisdom.

Beyond formal settings, wine and food pairing has been slow to catch on in Kenya. Many Kenyans still do not drink alongside food. Part of the reason for this reluctance, he argues, is that most wines are made to go with dishes in their countries of origin.

“French wine works best with French dishes. This applies to Italian wine and dishes too. Pairing wines from these two countries, for instance, with our local dishes such as njahi (black beans) isn’t easy.’’

There is also a lack of education, a loophole that local event organisers are now trying to seal.

Besides Almert, Samuel looks up to Wanjiru Mureithi, a teacher of wine and founder of Winenjiru, a Kenyan wine training and consultancy firm. “She is the only certified wine trainer in Kenya. I hope to emulate her.”

Yealands, a white wine variety from New Zealand, is currently his favourite. “The best Sauvignon Blanc varieties at the moment are coming from New Zealand.”

Kenyans are known to prefer sweet wine. But even so, only a small proportion of the sweets is explored. Samuel notes that with more than 5,000 grape species, there is an almost infinite number of wine varieties to explore in each category.

Sophisticated as his palate is, Samuel admits that each wine, irrespective of origin, age, quality and price, caters to a specific segment of the market.

On the difference between old world wines (Europe) and new world wines (elsewhere), Samuel says flavours and labelling stand out. “The old world is more conservative in their flavours. They have maintained them for centuries. Labelling is also more traditional,” he says.

In the US and South Africa, which form part of the new world, however, the winery is more experimental, which has yielded adventurous wines with playful notes and character. “These wines are easier to adapt to and are also more affordable. There’s no significant quality difference between the two sets of wine.”

This festive season, he says is an opportunity for Kenyans to experiment with wine and food.

“There’s no wrong food and wine pairing. Try out different wine varieties with your dishes. If you don’t like the result, at least you’ll have learnt something.”

If you intend to gift someone with a bottle of wine this Christmas, Samuel recommends first establishing the recipient’s taste. “I’ve been embarrassed after recommending a wine that failed to impress my friends. Finding out about someone’s favourite flavour helps you to pick a wine they’ll enjoy.”

As we conclude, Samuel tells me that he hopes his sons, aged 11, eight, and eleven months, will be involved with it in some way. “If they do, I’ll be a proud father. If they don’t, I’ll still be content. It’s their choice to make.”

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