France Paris
The elite at the service
of the profession
Birth of the Club
of World's Best Sommeliers
Ten of World's Best Sommeliers met in Paris to confirm the birth of this club. Partner of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale and closely supported by Moët & Chandon, it set itself very precise objectives associating defence of the profession, support to creation of new national associations, and generosity.
Les Meilleurs Sommeliers du Monde au Bistrot du Sommelier
This September 26th 2011 is an essential stage in the history of wine and of its most famous ambassadors, with the birth of the Club of World's Best Sommeliers. A structure that has been baptized in the setting of the Bistrot du Sommelier, Philippe Faure-Brac's restaurant in Paris.
For this occasion, were present Piero Sattanino (Italy, consecrated in 1971), Jean-Luc Pouteau (France, 1983), Serge Dubs (France, 1989), Philippe Faure-Brac (France, 1992), Shinya
Tasaki (Japan, 1995), Markus del Monego (Germany, 1998),
Olivier Poussier (France, 2000), Enrico Bernardo (Italy, 2004), Andreas Larsson (Sweden, 2007) and Gérard Basset (United Kingdom, 2010). Together, they decided the main outlines of an action they intend to fulfil around three main axes during the coming years.
“Because, beyond our will to meet each other, we are conscious that to gather gives a force and a peculiar sense to our approach. And this has to enable us to reach other objectives than the only idea of conviviality”, they wanted to state in a same voice.
Support to the sommeliers of Morocco
Above all, this Club intends to defend and promote the profession of sommelier. Actions that go through fieldwork, using the fame of its members to favour the youth's information.
“It also means that we have to set precise rules that define our profession, Philippe Faure-Brac underlines. Communicate also goes through the edition, probably with the Cherche midi, of a book in which each of us will have the opportunity to talk about his way of being sommelier, but also about the changes that occurred in his life thanks to this world title. All this through souvenirs and anecdotes. Each of us will give an original portrait of himself.”
The Club, which does not intend to replace the action of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, but to support it by fully using its media power, also wants to favour the development of the sommellerie in new countries.
“Symbolically we might indeed have our next meeting in Morocco which applies for its entering the A.S.I.”
Shinya Tasaki first president
The Club has decided to meet at least once a year. After Morocco, the next date might be fixed in Tokyo on March 29th 2013 to celebrate the arrival of a 14th member in the Club.
A structure that would like, at last, to use its renown in charity purposes. Still with the help of Moët & Chandon, two Nebuchadnezzars of Brut Impérial have been signed by the ten awarded in Paris. They will be put on sale next December for an auction organized in Drouot. The profit of this action will be entirely given to the research on Alzheimer’s disease.
Many decisions validated during this first session at the end of which Shinya Tasaki, also president of the A.S.I., has been designated as the first president of the Club.
“We do not formalize anything, Philippe Faure-Brac concluded, but every year we will choose a new president who will be the spokesman of our activities.”Jean Bernard
Exceptional food and wine pairings:
To celebrate the birth of the Club remarkably, the House Moët & Chandon, associated with Guillaume Saluel, the Bistrot du Sommelier’s Chef, proposed a gala dinner. “We wanted to highlight this event by proposing the tasting of vintages that mark on their own way five decades of contests”, Benoît Gouez, Cellar master of the famous house located in Epernay, wanted to state as a prelude.
The Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2002 accompanied an “Ossetra Caviar Snack”; the Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Collection 1992 was served with a “Piccata of veal on cep and chanterelles with a mushrooms emulsion”; the Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Collection 1982 in Magnum was paired with the “Lobster Vitelotte Potato Parmentier, with Claw Salad”; the Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Collection 1975 underlined the delicacy of a “Thin slice of Foie gras with a sweet and sour citrus sauce”, as at last the Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Collection 1964 in Magnum made shiver with a “Comte cheese cream and bread with dried fruits”.
