Marlvin Gwese is the group sommelier at Newmark Hotels and Reserves in Cape Town.
Zimbabwean-born Marlvin Tinashe Gwese started his career at the age of 21, working as a waiter at Sheraton Grand. Listening to his restaurant manager talk about wine seemed very sophisticated but at the same time challenging. "I fell in love with wine and I realised being a wine 'guru' is what I’ve always wanted to be," says Marlvin.
Following the intricate training he received from the Lobster Laduma Wine Project, as well as a diploma at the Cape Wine Academy in 2013, Marlvin completed the Wine Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 training in 2015 and First Star Cap Classique training in 2022. He also gained significant experience at some of the Cape’s best known establishments over a period of nine years, including Cape Grace Hotel, Greenhouse Restaurant and the Liz McGrath Collection.
In 2021, Marlvin starred in the award-winning documentary Blind Ambition, the fascinating life story of four Zimbabwean sommeliers who form their country's first World Blind Wine Tasting Championships team.