Interview - Zachary Tay

Interview

Zachary Tay – Sommelier, Atout

We caught up with sommelier, Zachary Tay as he flew Singapore’s flag high in South Africa. By winning a blind tasting competition, that bamboozled experts globally.

Firstly Zachary, congratulations on winning what seemed like an impossible challenge from Premium independent wineries of South Africa (PiWOSA). One that, prior to your win, has eluded many professionals globally. A trip well worth I hope. Could you share what impressions did you have of South Africa and it’s wines before embarking on your trip?

Thank you! It was a very difficult challenge honestly. I think PIWOSA was very confident no one outside of South Africa would get it right. Prior to the trip, I was of the opinion the wines would be more fruit focused and quite straightforward. Obviously, I found the blind tasting challenge very difficult.

14 years old Cabernet Sauvignon Vines

Drought is a hot topic, and I’m sure you have seen first hand how devastating it can be.

How has drought affected the wineries you have visited.

To quote Radford Dale: save water, drink wine. Surprisingly, many of the wineries I visited have done little to no irrigation. Irrigation, if any, was only applied to the young vines. You could see their reservoirs were low (like 40% of capacity) but their neighbours were even worse off, like 10-20% left. Travelling between the vineyards though, you could see vast swathes of land, barren and brown; including 2 vineyard plots (I don’t know which wineries they belonged to) without any leaf canopy or fruit. It was scary.

Pinotage and Chenin Blanc are the bedrock of the South African wine industry. However, many consumers are not in tune to it. How would you teach consumers to identify these varietals by bouquet and palate?

The variety of microclimates between the different wine regions is so varied. The only way, really, is to try the whole gamut from the different regions & producers. Take Pinotage for example; generally speaking, from Paarl, Tulbagh, Swartland & the Breede River region – you would find richer, more opulent styles of Pinotage. Take a peek at their neighbour Stellenbosch, and you’ll find elegant to medium bodied expressions of Pinotage. Constantia and it’s surrounding regions will be something in between the two styles given the sunny but maritime influence of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Go eastwards and try their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. So much wine, so little time.

Were there any wines that surprise you during the trip?

Surprises aplenty! But the biggest surprise was how well South African wines could age. How, even at 15-20 years of age, the wines showed intense fruit characters yet elementary characters of development. Mind you, these are wines made with little or no added sulphur dioxide. How fun would it be for PIWOSA were to throw down the gauntlet and sneak in a few of their library stocks for the blind tasting. That would be an ultimate curve ball.

View from Glenelly Estate

View from Journey's End

How has the trip changed your impression of South Africa and its wines?

The blind tasting (Flight Club) showcased the quality of the wines produced. Mind you, the French wines which were “blind” was not your run of the mill table wines but premier crus. Wines which would have cost 200-400 dollars in a restaurant. I knew South African wines had great value for money but not to that extent. This trip further expanded on that and opened my eyes (and liver) to how gracefully South African wines can age. I brought back some South African Wines from the late 90’s and I’m very tempted to keep them till 2028.

If you are marooned on a deserted island, and you could only bring one bottle of South African wine, what would you bring? And why?

Just ONE bottle!? There’ll be nothing left in an hour. I really don’t know. So many great wines with different styles. If I’m going to be stuck on an island for at least a week, can I bring 3 cases of 12 please?

Possibly THE bottle, anyone will bring along on an island

Lastly, is there anyone you would like to thank for making your trip possible?

A lot of people came together to make this work. I don’t know where to start.

Peter, the man responsible for ensuring I got from vineyard to vineyard on time and safe. Bronwyn and Christie for all the arrangements behind the scenes. The members of PIWOSA for their hospitality and generosity. Hwee Peng, the original champion of South African wines in Singapore and the Sommelier Association of Singapore for constantly organising events and tastings to keep our noses sharp.

What has been your South African experience?

Gerard Zhang WSET, CSW