The Tribune

A Bristol Wines & Spirits brand manager has become The Bahamas’ latest Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) level three certified wine professional.

The drinks distributor, in a statement, said Toure Saunders is one of the few to achieve this designation. “People think that working in this field is all about just drinking, but going through the WSET certification process was actually very hard,” he said.

“There were nights I had to stay up studying, sometimes after brand activations, and the wine tastings weren’t just about enjoyment but being able to identify the grape variety, appellation, underlying notes and so much more.

“In my cohort for level three, I was the only person to pass out of six people, so that should show the level of difficulty. I’m just proud that I can now sign off my e-mails with the WSET certification logo and share my knowledge with my company as well as the wider wine community.”

Mr Saunders has worked his way up through the ranks at Bristol over the past ten years, serving as the clerk in the wine room in the warehouse. From there, he moved up to being a truck driver for the west route, where he was able to assist clients with their wine and spirits orders.

Mr Saunders then moved up again to a road salesman and, finally, to his current position as a brand manager with responsibility for some of Bahamians’ favourite wine brands such as Deutsch Family Wines & Spirits, Premier Wine Group and Sutter Home.

This certification greatly aids him in his position as a brand manager with a large portfolio of wines, as he can identify types and styles of wine through sight, smell and taste, while also gaining the basic skills to describe wines accurately and make food and wine pairings from his level one qualification, which he achieved in 2022.

In 2023, Mr Saunders passed level two with distinction, gaining knowledge of the principal and regionally-important grape varieties of the world; the regions in which they are grown; and the styles of wine they produce.

In 2024, he passed level three with merit, and can now assess wines accurately and use that understanding to confidently explain wine style and quality. Now that his pin and certification has arrived, Mr Saunders is an advanced professional in the wine industry.

“I believe that Touré’s successful completion with merit of WSET level three is a testament to Bristol’s commitment to the wine industry, the importance of the development of local talent and that wine is here to stay,” said Kyle Stubbs, wine division manager and sommelier at Bristol. “Kudos to Touré on six months of hard work, dedication and tasting lots of wine. Cheers to the newest Bahamian certified wine professional.”

The WSET is the world’s leading provider of drinks qualifications, with certifications in wines, spirits, beer and sake. WSET qualifications are designed for those who are just starting out in their careers, as well as established professionals and the many enthusiasts who have a passion for wines, spirits, sake and beer.

Bristol Wines & Spirits said it hosts WSET training and qualification sessions annually for those interested in becoming qualified. Though it is suggested for Bristol Brand managers to participate in WSET qualifications, many wine-related brand managers and procurement officers have at least a level one WSET wine qualification or a level one WSET sake qualification.