Sommelier competitions, such prestigious and technical challenges
The Latvian Raimonds Tomsons was crowned Best Sommelier of the World 2023 during the contest that took place in Paris last week. Sommelier competitions highlight not only gastronomy and the art of sommellerie, but also vineyards and their winemakers. How do they really work? What are the different exams? Here is an overview of these unparalleled competitions.
A challenge like no other
68 candidates, 65 countries represented, 4 days of competition, 10,000 of bottles served. The Best Sommelier of the World competition is the most prestigious and rigorous in the field of sommellerie. Like other national and international competitions of its kind, it allows the a highly selected group of professionals to showcase their skills to the top sommeliers in the world.
This event is organized every three years and orchestrated by the International Sommellerie Association (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale - ASI) with the sommelier association of the hosting country. This edition was presided by the Union de la Sommellerie Française (UDSF) and Philippe Faure-Brac, himself Best Sommelier of the World in 1992.
After three days of trails and tastings, the Latvian Raimonds Tomsons took this year’s title- beating out the Dane Nina Jensen in second place, the Chinese Reeze Choi in third, and Pascaline Lepeltier, the French candidate who finished fourth.
Testing knowledge and service
These events bring together professionals in the sector. The competition, on the other hand, highlights authentic and unique products in the interest of professional excellence.
Aromas, tannins, smells, observation of the wine, its length in the mouth... Sommeliers are above all wine lovers. Even if the content of the tests remains confidential before the competition, it is common to ask candidates theoretical questions on their knowledge of vineyards, practical tests with service workshops as well as blind tasting sessions of wines and spirits. Competitors must have theoretical knowledge and professional culture but they must also master practical aspects and manage the simulations while limiting the pressure of the competition.
For the semi-final of the Best Sommelier of the World contest, the candidates had to identify five non-alcoholic drinks from around the world and imagine a vegan menu. Another workshop was to compose old cocktails (Sazerac and Aviation) with ingredients voluntarily absent from the elements made available to the candidates. During the final, they had to blindly identify wines, associate wines with dishes, stones with wines or find the errors in a price list. Beyond a true knowledge of the vineyards, contestants had to undergo exercises of beverage service, general wine culture and wine regulations tests, exams on the different varieties of grape, as well as on wine-making and blending techniques. Highly demanding exercises for these passionate oenophiles.
Focus on Pascaline Lepeltier, the French candidate.
At 42 years old, Pascaline Lepeltier, is a brilliant sommelier with an international reputation. Crowned in 2018 with the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in sommellerie and Best Sommelier of France, Pascaline Lepeltier started her career in philosophy before discovering the world of wine thanks to one of her passionate teachers. Based in New York since 2009, she has become one of the most influential sommeliers of her generation. After training for the Best Sommelier of the World contest at Château Haut-Bailly in early November 2022, she finished fourth in the competition.
