Contest of the Best Sommelier of the World Chile
13th Contest of the Best Sommelier of the World:
David Biraud, the candidate of France is semi-finalist of the Mondial!The good piece of news was announced on Tuesday at midnight, local time, in Santiago de Chile.
Since Saturday, April 10th, Chile is the host country of the 13th Contest of the Best Sommelier of the World. Extraordinary mobilization and welcome on behalf of a nation victim, a few weeks ago only, of a terrible earthquake.
Delegations discovered the natural surroundings and the exceptional investments realized by the Maisons
Montes and
Lapostolle, in the region of Apalta, in the heart of Colchagua Valley. Three-hour driving from Santiago de Chile, a trip where all the competitors were not present.
David Biraud chose, for his part, to immerse himself once more in the atmosphere of this vineyard which he has already discovered in November, 2009.
Accompanied with the French delegation, we find him here at Montes for the last hours of looseness before getting to the heart of the subject. On Monday morning, indeed, began the tests which led to a first selection.
12 candidates, on 51 entered, have been retained for the semi-final of a contest in which
Isa Bal, the Turk Best Sommelier of Europe in 2008, does not participate because of family problems which kept him in England, where he works.
![](/sites/default/files/old_images/Articles/SI 128/D-bireau-demi-finale.jpg)
![](/sites/default/files/old_images/Articles/SI 129/LES-DEMI-FINALISTES-1.jpg)
Twelve semifinalists in the euphoria of the announcement of their selection:Gérard Basset, Iulia Gosea, Véronique Rivest, Merete Bo,
Elyse Lambert, Paolo Basso, Charles Aymerich, Franck Moreau, David Biraud, Sören Polonius, Mori Satoru and Favio Masi.
Jean Bernard