Top image: Ravi Nadasen, chief operating officer of Tsogo Sun.

In a celebratory year for Tsogo Sun Hotels, the company has announced the renewal of its headline sponsorship of the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. Tsogo Sun Hotels this year celebrates its 50th anniversary as Africa’s leading hospitality group and no doubt its continued association with Africa’s leading wine and spirits competition, the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards, will ensure extra sparkle to Tsogo Sun’s year ahead.

“Since Tsogo Sun Hotels’ first involvement with Michelangelo in 2017, the group has been instrumental in supporting our mission of adding value for the award-winning producers,” says Lorraine Immelman, founder and CEO of the competition, which has been running continuously since 1997. “Tsogo Sun Hotels not only hosts our premier prize-giving awards dinner, it also offers entrants into the competition exclusive tasting events as well as access to listings within the group’s various hotels and lodges.”

Says Ravi Nadasen, Chief Operating Officer of Tsogo Sun Hotels, “As one of the hospitality industry’s largest purchasers of wines, Tsogo Sun has a vested interest in promoting excellence in the wine industry. We believe that South African winemakers put exceptional care and effort into producing great wines, a commitment that is echoed in the care we take to select the right wines for our hotels and restaurants, serving them as part of our world-class food & beverage offering. We have an active strategy of procuring exceptional wines, and we are proud to have been the biggest single buyer in the Nederburg Wine Auction and the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction for several years.”

This year’s Michelangelo medal and trophy winners will have access to a number of prestigious events and opportunities where they will be invited to showcase their wines. These include public tastings in Gauteng and Cape Town towards the end of this year and four bespoke wine-dinners at various Tsogo Sun Hotels venues. The latter will showcase Michelangelo 2019 Trophy and Platinum winners and is to be hosted by Tsogo Sun Hotels group sommelier and Michelangelo judge, Miguel Chan, after the results have been announced.

In addition, the group’s wine menus nationally will include a wide selection of 2019 Michelangelo award-winning wines.

Even more exciting is the addition of a selection of Michelangelo award-winning wines in the two wine shops located in Tsogo Sun’s Southern Sun The Cullinan Hotel in the Cape Town Waterfront as well as Café Cru at Montecasino in Fourways.

“This is really exciting for our Michelangelo winning producers, as Tsogo Sun Hotels gives exposure to thousands of people via the various wine offerings at the group’s 110 hotels and a myriad of restaurants and bars. The wine and spirits industries now have another dynamic partner committed to adding value to those entering this year’s competition,” says Lorraine.

According to Miguel Chan, Group Sommelier for Tsogo Sun Hotels, the association with the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards is part of Tsogo Sun’s commitment to offering its clients and guests South Africa’s premier wine and spirits.

“Our mutual benefits from the strategic relationship with Michelangelo lie in cementing our pole position as the leading hospitality wine-buyer in South Africa by offering the very best of South African wines,” he says. “By showcasing selected Michelangelo award-winning wines on our various hotels’ and restaurants’ wine lists we are a proud supporter of the Cape wine industry’s link to the hospitality world.”

·       In 2018 the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards received over 2 200 entries, making it the largest drinks competition in South Africa and one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. Entries for the 2019 competition are now open and judging will commence in August.