Delalonde scoops UK Sommelier of the Year

Sarment Wines sommelier Christopher Delalonde MS has been announced as UK Sommelier of the Year 2010.

The former head sommelier at The Square in London, who gained his MS last year and is now one of the four-strong team behind Sarment’s personal sommelier service, was runner-up in the same competition a year ago.

This time round Delalonde beat Yohann Jousselin MS, head sommelier of The Vineyard at Stockcross near Newbury, into second place, while Clement Robert, head sommelier at Summer Lodge Country House Hotel in Evershot, came third.

Progressing from a 15-strong semi-final round, the three finalists in the competition, sponsored by Piper-Heidsieck, took to the stage in front of industry guests to complete a timed blind tasting, wine list correction test, role play and pouring out an entire magnum of Piper-Heidseick evenly without revisiting any of the 16 Champagne flutes.

In an emotional speech, Delalonde expressed his determination to improve on last year’s performance, saying: “It has been six months of hard work but I’m delighted to have won, particularly given the high standard of this year’s competition.”

Presenting the winner’s trophy during a dinner at the Westbury Mayfair hotel in London, Victor Lanson, marketing controller at First Drinks, UK agent for Piper-Heidsieck, praised Delalonde for “his ability to stay calm under pressure, think on his feet and the depth of wine and service knowledge he displayed”.

At the same dinner, Daniel Brown from London was named as the first ever Amateur Sommelier of the Year, while Clement Robert took home the Young Sommelier of the Year award as the youngest placed sommelier in the main competition.

Gabriel Savage, 04.05.2010