UK Sommelier of the Year

Moët UK hosted another fantastic UK Sommelier of the Year competition day before yesterday at the Mandarin Oriental.   With 12 finalists pitted against each other for the top 3 spots it was a tough competition.  The 3 finalists competed in front of the audience and judges in a series of different events testing their knowledge, tasting skills and service. Each of the three excelled at different aspects of the challenge making it a very tough call. 
During service exam all candidates were requested to decant a bottle of Gaja “Darmagi” and then questioned on the history and grapes used in its production. All three finalists knew that it was a Cabernet Sauvignon from Piedmont, a ground breaking wine that isn’t a traditional Piedmont grape.
Kathrine Larsen of Zuma finished in third but gained the title of best young sommelier UK. Tobias Brauweiler of the Ritz, a very strong second, was the only one to correctly identify all three wines in the blind tasting and Clement Robert of Medlar took home the title with a strong showing in all aspects of the competition. It is worth noting that Clement paired a Sassicaia 1996 with the Beef Wellington in the food pairings round.
 
It's been a long journey for Clement. This was his 5th year entering the competition and it just goes to show the competition and dedication it takes to win such an accolade. A truly deserved winner, congratulations!
 
By Shana Dilworth-Thomas
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