Van Ryn's award goes to entrepreneur

ENTREPRENEUR Derek Ramsden is the 2012 winner of the Van Ryn's Award for Brandy Excellence. He graduated from the Cape Wine Masters (CWM) programme at Morgenster, South Africa, with the highest score in the examination section devoted to brandy.

Mr Ramsden's specialist company, One Wine Cellar Consultant, is focused on the design, manufacture and stock management of private and restaurant wine cellars, including a consulting and sourcing service.

The CWM brandy module, added to the course in 2006, comprises a written and a tasting examination involving brandies from around the world. Van Ryn's has won the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) Worldwide Best Brandy title four times and is also a three-time winner of the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) Best Brandy trophy.