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Ruinart UK sommelier challenge opens for entries
Following a year’s enforced hiatus, Champagne house Ruinart has announced that the 2022 UK edition of the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge is now open for entries.
Ruinart’s chef de caves, Frédéric Panaïotis, devised the competition which now takes place in 15 cities around the world. The top 25 candidates, as selected by Panaïotis, Ronan Sayburn MS and Roxanne Dupuy, will compete in a blind tasting held in London on 20 June.
The winner of the UK challenge, alongside those from the other countries where it is run, will be taken on a four-day trip around the Champagne region, personally hosted by Panaïotis.
The focus of this year’s trip will be on understanding the impact of cork in Champagne. In the hands of a skilled and experienced chef de cave, cork can be used to bring additional depth and complexity to the wine as it ages.
Though the exact itinerary changes each year, 2022 winners can expect a deep dive into the Champagne region and a series of technical tastings before ending with an afternoon in Paris.
2020 UK winner Paul Favel had his trip postponed due to the pandemic, and is set to head out with the other winning sommeliers this year. “I really enjoyed the UK finals day”, he said. “It was a good opportunity to challenge my tasting skills, learn more, and to meet the other Sommelier finalists. The Masterclass was super interesting – I couldn’t believe how much goes into determining the right date to harvest!”
The deadline for entry into the UK competition is 5 June. To enter, please visit here.