The Ruinart Sommelier Challenge is returning to Australia in 2020, and applications are now being sought from sommeliers all over the country.
Hosted by Champagne Ruinart and Sommeliers Australia the challenge will be held in Sydney on Monday, 30 March and applicants will have the chance to win a once in a lifetime business class trip to France for exclusive training at Maison Ruinart.
Entries are now open and applications can be made online until Sunday, 1 March, and entrants must hold a Professional Membership with Sommeliers Australia. This year, the Sommelier Challenge will select only 25 of Australia’s top sommelier talent to compete for the grand prize.
The Sommelier Challenge reflects Champagne Ruinart’s commitment to the development of the global Sommelier community, and invites talented sommeliers to test their skills with a blind tasting of four wines before enjoying a technical lecture and lunch with Ruinart Winemaker Caroline Fiot.
Fiot says of the Challenge: “We continue to be very impressed with the calibre of sommeliers in Australia, and I am excited to see what the 2020 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge holds. Ruinart continues its commitment to support the global sommelier community, and we are pleased to continue our relationship with Sommeliers Australia and the local sommelier community.”
The judging panel will select one sommelier from the group – based upon their blind tasting responses – to be the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge 2020 winner. The winner will be announced on Monday, 30 March 2020 at the conclusion of the training day.
Last year’s winner, Manuel Conti, said: “The hospitality of the Ruinart Team/Maison is second to none, they were great from day one to the last one; tasting wines daily with Frederic and Caroline was so great and enlightening; and last but not least spending every day with some of the best Somms from around the world is just a priceless prize and learning experience.”
To register for the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, please visit the Sommeliers Australia website.