ZOLA Williams first encountered wine when, having moved to Cape Town from the Eastern Cape, he was employed as a waiter at The Nose Restaurant & Wine Bar in the Cape Quarter in Green Point in 2005.

Opened in 2003 by Kevin and Cathy Marston, who, having recently relocated from the UK, noticed there was “a dearth of decent places to drink” in the city, the business was the only wine bar in Cape Town at the time. Aside from a listing of almost 40 Cape wines, 12 of which changed monthly and all of which were available in a tasting portion, by the glass and by the bottle, The Nose also offered wine-tasting courses and served meals.

By the time Williams was employed at the bar, the Marstons had developed a reputation for championing smaller producers and garagiste wine makers. It became a popular spot to try out unusual wines without having to venture too far from the city centre.

The Nose was also an excellent learning ground for the ambitious waiter.

“My parents did not drink wine. Neither had I up to that time. I knew nothing about it until I began working with the Marstons,” says Williams.

“It was fortunate that Cathy was prepared to teach me about wine and, the more I learned about it, the more interesting I found it and the more I wanted to learn about it.”

Aside from needing to understand the product to provide good service at the wine bar, Williams saw an opportunity to develop skills that would distinguish him from others in his profession. There is, he argues, plenty of competition when it comes to looking for work in restaurants in Cape Town. But, while many have extensive experience serving food, not many waiters also have a good understanding of wine, how to serve it and how to match it with food.