Pierre Jacob, very young, Best Young Sommelier of France

Aged 22, the young man from Lorraine who just finished his training won the finals of the Duval-Leroy Trophy in front of Edmond Gasser, Yohan Nguyen and Quentin Vauleon. A last stage organized in a parallel to Vinexpo.

Far from Vertus, homeland of the Champagne house partner of the contest since 2009, Pierre Jacob has become the fourth winner of the Duval-Leroy Trophy of the Best Young Sommelier of France in the huge amphitheatre of the Convention Centre of Bordeaux. The one who admitted being prone to stress finally mastered the tension of the contest for two days. Indeed it all started in Libourne with the semi-finals that gathered 10 candidates selected in spring in different sites.

Some among them had already been confronted in a competition. Edmond Gasser and Yohan Nguyen have already been in the semi-finals of the same contest in November 2013. In May the same year, Bastien Debono and Pierre Jacob participated in the finals of the Chapoutier contest. The Marseillais then won the contest and the candidate from Lorraine reached the third place.

Opponents but finally good friends, all have once again been surprised by the workshops that followed the inevitable questionnaire. Often destabilized, sometimes puzzled as they did not correctly analyze the test, they had to wait the day after to know who would be the four of them selected for the finals staged in public.

Carte blanche with the scallops

The finals, in this impressive décor, consisted of the traditional ingredients of a contest with enough practical tests to assess whom of the young professionals would most deserve the title. Pierre Jacob who had just completed the work-study Professional Certificate in Sommellerie (Lycée Albert-Bayet in Tours, Restaurant La Côte Saint-Jacques in Joigny) was opposed to Edmond Gasser (Hôtel Konigshof in Munich), Yohan Nguyen (Le Chambard in Kaysersberg) and Quentin Vauleon (Taillevent in Paris). From serving to tasting, the future winner appreciated each exercise. “But I really liked the work on the scallops. We had five different wines, from a sparkling wine to a red wine, with also a Sauternes, and for each of them we had to suggest a dish composed of scallops. With the Sauternes Suduiraut 2006, I chose to propose quickly seared scallops with a mango tartare with horns of plenty seasoned with timut pepper. To reply to the sweetness of the wine, it was necessary to add a touch of freshness and the compote character of the mango complemented quite well the pairing.” His sensitiveness for pairings has rightly led him to be contacted by various specialized magazines who asked him, for their articles, some original food and wine combinations.

The start of a new professional life for a young sommelier who finished his stay in Burgundy during the summer. “I was happy to bring some media attention on this house, but after two years I would like to try something else.” And he could have had plenty of choices as he has had many offers. “But even before the finals, I accepted Antoine Petrus' offer to join him at Clarence, the future restaurant of Hotel Dillon that will open in Paris in the end of the year.”

A decisive choice for the young man native from Yutz in Lorraine and trained at Metz. He first passed a technical school certificate, then a professional baccalaureat, and finally a complementary mention in sommellerie at Lycée Raymond-Mondon before choosing to further deepen his knowledge in wine with a professional certificate. “My teacher Christian Pechoutre encouraged me to embark on this contest and reconsider my way of being. And finally I worked more on myself than on the wines. From November, I get back to work to prepare the selections for the Best Sommelier of France and also study the Sud de France contest to be held during Vinisud.”

Until then, he will have solved his August hardship, find a place to live in Paris!

Jean Bernard