Avenue Vine

The competition, organized by the Academy of Food & Wine Service, saw three finalists – all from France - selected from a semi-final line-up of fifteen sommelier from across the UK. The semi-finalists had been chosen from 210 original entrants.

In the final, the sommelier were judged on their practical skills, including a blind tasting, food and wine matching advice in a mock-up restaurant situation, identifying errors on a printed wine list, and advice on choosing cigars.

All this took place in front of an audience of fellow sommelier and members of the wine and restaurant trade.

For the last task, the finalists had to pour a magnum of Ruinart Rosé champagne into sixteen glasses, without revisiting any of the glasses, aiming to pour each of them to equal levels and to have as little champagne as possible left in the bottle at the end.

Presenting the award, the President of Champagne Ruinart, Bernard Peillon, said: “The presentation of wine in Britain’s top hotels and restaurants and the knowledge these young people are bringing to service is equal to any in the world”.

The other two finalists were Nicolas Clerc, of the Milestone Hotel, London, who came second, and Jean-Marie Pratt of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford. It was Jean-Marie’s first year in the competition this year. Both Nicolas and Claire were also finalists in 2005, the first year for both of them in the competition, when they finally lost out to Matt Wilkin, MS.

Source: “First woman wins UK sommelier prize,” Richard Ross, Wine & Spirit, April
25, 2006