South Africa’s best sommelier is preparing for an exacting world contest of tasting, service and wine knowledge.
Armand Ridgard earned the title of Best Sommelier of South Africa 2025 through a discipline that combines sensory skill, knowledge and calm hospitality. His next challenge is the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale world contest in Lisbon, where leading professionals will be tested across tasting, service and theory.
The Armand Ridgard sommelier championship campaign is raising R60,000 for flights, accommodation, specialist training and tastings connected to Lisbon. Armand had already attended an ASI boot camp in Brazil in July; the linked report says Mike Ratcliffe covered that trip’s expenses.
What a world sommelier contest demands
Competition goes far beyond naming a wine from a glass. Candidates may need to identify origin, variety, vintage and production clues through blind tasting, then communicate their reasoning clearly. Service tasks test accuracy, timing and the ability to remain gracious while working under scrutiny.
The knowledge component can range across regions, beverages, producers, regulations and food pairing. Preparation therefore combines disciplined study with repeated practical rehearsal. Armand must make complex decisions appear natural, even when a clock and international judging panel add pressure.
Preparation that connects South Africa to the world
The Brazil boot camp provided access to specialist coaching and high-level practice partners. The linked report says the intensive week gave Armand a reference point and framework for his preparation before Lisbon.
At the world contest, he will represent more than an individual career. South Africa’s wine industry, hospitality culture and growing sommelier community all travel with him. A strong performance can bring attention to local expertise and encourage the next generation of beverage professionals.
Backing excellence behind the scenes
Professional development at this level is expensive. Flights, accommodation, tuition, tasting materials and competition logistics accumulate long before the public sees a result. The campaign makes those preparation costs visible and distributes them across a supportive industry and public.
Donors are helping create the conditions in which talent can perform. Their support gives Armand more time and access to train deliberately, while every share broadens recognition of the craft and study involved in world-class wine service.
The wider impact
Professional excellence is rarely visible in full. Audiences see a finished plate or polished service, while study, rehearsal, ingredients, mentors and repeated corrections remain behind the scenes. Supporting those foundations helps South African talent enter international spaces prepared to contribute, learn and bring new knowledge home.
A public campaign also makes participation flexible. Some supporters can donate, others can share the story with a school, club, workplace or professional network, and some may be able to offer expertise or an introduction. These different forms of help are most useful when they remain centred on the stated goal and the choices of the people leading the campaign.
Responsible storytelling is part of that support. Using accurate names, avoiding exaggerated promises and linking readers to the live campaign preserves trust. It lets the achievement remain hopeful without hiding the work still required, and it gives future updates a strong factual foundation as circumstances change.
What support can make possible
Crowdfunding works best when readers can see the goal, understand the need and choose how to participate. The campaign page brings those details together and remains the best place to check the latest total, updates and any changes to the plan before donating.
- Specialist coaching, mock exams and tastings
- Travel and accommodation for Lisbon
- South African representation on the world sommelier stage
Support is not limited to a financial contribution. Sharing the campaign with a relevant community, sending a message of encouragement or introducing the story to a potential partner can expand its reach. A series of modest actions can create the momentum that makes a large target feel possible.
Follow the Armand Ridgard sommelier championship
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/road-to-lisbon-2026-support-sasas-journey
