Castel European Young Sommeliers Cup 2016 in London

Already victorious of the Best Nordic Sommelier Competition the young wine professional has won the third edition of a contest that is gaining importance and further credibility. The Norwegian and British competitors both climbed on the podium too.

On Sunday October 9, seventeen sommeliers aged 30 or less from as many countries started the tests of the Castel European Young Sommelier Cup. The third edition of a contest created by Châteaux & Domaines Castel in order to highlight the promising talents of the European sommellerie and to which the Union of French Sommellerie has been associated for the first time.

First they all had to taste, describe and identify a white wine and a red, then to identify four brandies and spirits, in a 25-minute time. Then they had to answer a questionnaire, found “concentrated but hard” by Romain Bourger (The Vineyard at Stockcross), the French winner for United Kingdom of the 2015 edition. At last, a service and a marketing test composed the practical part of the competition.

Confirmation of the Norwegian candidate

French Maxime Brunet who considered his participating in this contest as an excellent way to prepare for the final stage of the Best Sommelier of France competition to take place a month later in Toulouse, did not reach the expected level. The questionnaire that dealt with some European vineyards with thorough items made him get a feel for international competitions. And although he expected to reach the semi-finals, the sommelier of William Frachot (Dijon) had to accept to follow the rest of the event as a spectator.

One of the favourites with regards to his experience—he already was present in the semi-finals of the A.S.I. contest of the Best Sommelier of the World in Mendoza—Norwegian Henrik Dahl Jahnsen confirmed the quality of his preparation by passing the first stage. He was accompanied by Nina Jensen (Denmark), Ruben Kwakman (Netherlands), Marcel Przyborek (Poland), Erik Simonics (Slovakia) and Tamas Czinki (United Kingdom).

An unprecedented feminine success at this level

Among the six candidates only the three best of them would have a place in the finals on Monday afternoon. Indeed the morning tests (decanting and service, food and wine pairings) enabled to establish a clear hierarchy. Henrik, Nina and Tamas would present themselves in front of the jury in this order. Correcting a wine menu, tasting in four phases, decanting and service, and at last food and wine pairings composed the final stage.

After the jury deliberated Nina Jensen won the contest ahead of the candidates of Norway and United Kingdom. Winner a week earlier of the Best Nordic Sommelier competition, the young lady, 23, who works at the Anarki restaurant in Copenhagen is the first female sommelier to stand out in such a representative continental contest in terms of candidates and difficulty.

A few months after the world victory of Swede Jon Arvid Rosengren, this performance underlines the quality of the work done in Scandinavia in order to best prepare the competing sommeliers.

As for the contest, perfectly orchestrated by a technical committee composed of many French professionals present in the United Kingdom, it might pause in 2017 and will come back on the international scene in 2018, maybe in Denmark, the winner’s country.

Jean Bernard
 

Gérard Basset appreciated

Best Sommelier of the World 2010 Franco-British Gérard Basset has hosted the finals. And obviously appreciated the general quality of the tests and the final candidates’ talent. “For such a young contest, I noticed more positive than negative things. It especially shows a will for a high level. We could really notice it in the finals. If the winner is well supported she might go far. This competition is an excellent springboard for young sommeliers and can provide candidates for the A.S.I. contests as many of them have the skills to represent their country in the coming years. It is a good thing that such contests appear as A.S.I. cannot organize them all. They can become real complements and I appreciate that Châteaux & Domaines Castel invests in the sommellerie.”