GERARD BASSET WINS WORLD’S BEST SOMMELIER COMPETITION

16th April 2010, 12:32pm

Gerard Basset MW, MS, one of the UK’s best known sommeliers, owner of Hotel TerraVina in Hampshire and technical director of the Academy of Food & Wine, has been crowned the World’s Best Sommelier.

Gerard beat 53 sommeliers in the competition, organised by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and held this week in Chile.

"I am delighted and honoured to have been awarded the World's Best Sommelier title. This was the sixth time I have taken part, and having been placed second three times I was determined to do well this year. Competing was exciting, nerve racking and thrilling, but I put in a lot of work from the time I was chosen to represent the UK in September 2009, so I felt I had done enough preparation.

"Thank you to all the people who have wished me luck and sent me good wishes – it was hugely inspiring and much appreciated. We can't get home at the moment, but we are on cloud nine!"

One of the judges of the competition, Brian Julyan, chief executive of the Court of Master Sommeliers, praised Gerard's sommellerie skills: "He was brilliant in the final, winning in every section on my scoring. The judges took very little time in declaring the winner, Gerard gave a brilliant performance."

Related Articles:

• 24 Nov 2010 - Two master sommeliers recognised at the multi award-winning hotel
• 24 Aug 2010 - UK candidate for the European Sommelier of the year competition announced

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