You have to agree with sommelier Kathryn Rae who notes that last week’s WOSA International Sommelier Cup was “a total sausage fest. The lack of female numbers perturbed me a lot!” Not only were all the judges XY but seven of the eight contestants were, too. Which is weird as XXs buy most supermarket wine which means they dominate SA wine sales.

It’s quite appropriate that Michelle Smith should run the wine category at housewife’s friend Pick+Pay while Caroline Barton leaves Woolies at the end of the month, having put Makro on the wine map. The competition was dreamed up by an XX when Su(e) Birch ruled WOSA and has been continued by an XX CEO Siobhan Thompson. In fact all three WOSA CEOs to date have been XX.

So why so few XX sommeliers? Surely diners trust advice from an XX as much as from an XY?