Safari Real Estate Brief | Conserve Safari Wine Program
We take our service seriously.
In the safari real estate business, building beautiful, safe, and functional properties is important, but true differentiation comes from service. This is something we think about constantly. A major element of that effort is our wine program.
My hope is that we reach a level of confidence in wine service where it feels intuitive, natural, and easy to deliver. I believe that confidence comes from competence—having a solid body of knowledge, proper training, and enough repetition that actions become subconscious. When that happens, one can focus less on technique and more on connection with the other human being. In this case, the waiter or sommelier meets the guest on the same plane, each simply playing a different role.
A major catalyst for this has been our partnership with the world’s leading sommelier, Raimonds Tomsons.
This week, we hosted two masterclasses at our safari camps in Tarangire and the Serengeti, and it was a major win. Raimonds loved the safari experience. The game drives were rich in sightings, and our guides did an exceptional job explaining what was happening in nature and wildlife. I could feel Raimonds developing a genuine passion for it. That energy translated into two world-class training sessions for our team.
We invited everyone. Managers, waiters, and chefs attended as a requirement, but interns, housekeepers, and other team members joined as well.
Raimonds covered everything—from storage and service temperatures to opening sparkling wine, tasting, pouring order, decanting, and much more. I like to think that this resulted in a full upgrade of both our company-wide and personal wine skills. And this feels like just the beginning.
Ahead of the trip, Raimonds had already curated an outstanding selection of top African wines. Our menu listed the wine name, price, and a QR code for guests to read more. During the training, we realized we could take this one step further—by simplifying even more.
We decided to reduce the menu to an absolute minimum. Raimonds will have the freedom to choose the wines our guests drink on safari, removing the guesswork entirely. In practice, this means perhaps just one sparkling wine, one white, and one red in each price category.
In addition, we will add a short, simple pitch for each wine, helping guests quickly orient themselves and choose what fits the evening. For example, starting a safari dinner with an L’Ormarins Cap Classique Brut Rosé Vintage 2016, followed by a full-bodied Damascene Vineyards Syrah 2020/2022.
This approach also eases the pressure on our team, allowing them to grow into wine service with confidence, clarity, and enjoyment.
What stays with guests is rarely the label or the vintage.
It is how the evening felt.
When service becomes intuitive, it creates space for presence, conversation, and connection. That is the experience we are working toward.
