Sharrol Mukendi-Klaas grew up in Klerksdorp in the North West Province, far from the winemaking regions of South Africa. She moved to Cape Town as an adult, where she worked as a waitress at Open Wine Bar in Cape Town. Here, she was inspired to pursue a career in the wine industry when one of the owners enrolled her in the PIWOSA Women in Wine program which supports women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In the years that followed, she worked in a variety of wine bars and restaurants, including as a sommelier at Culture Wine Bar. Here she had the opportunity to experience the wines of some of South Africa’s most progressive winemakers.
Sharrol was the recipient of the inaugural ASI Gérard Basset Foundation Sommelier Scholarship, delivered by the Sommeliers Academy, in 2023. Through the scholarship, she received mentorship, professional training, and education. She completed the UCT GSB Business of Wine course, SASA Junior Sommelier certificate, and ASI Certification Level 2.
In 2024, South African company Humble Grape appointed her as the wine manager of the Vivat Bacchus restaurant in London.