The 20Competition for Best Student Sommelier of Loire Valley Wines

This is one of the Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair's oldest traditions.

The Competition for Best Student Sommelier was founded in 1989 and is sponsored by the UDSF (a French association of sommeliers).

The goal of the Competition for Best Student Sommelier is to heighten the awareness of these future wine waiters to Loire Valley Wines and to improve their perception of the region's vineyards, the 3rd largest in France.

For this anniversary edition on Monday, 4 February, the 20 members of the jury will be meeting up in Angers for a special day in honour of sommeliers and their profession.

The Competition for Best Student Sommelier has 2 stages :

• After a specific training in Loire Valley Wines, the students must take written exams at their respective institutions.
  This first stage designates the three best representatives for each institution.
  
• The Semi-final and Final take place during the Trade Fair.
  The candidates are divided into three categories according to their region or country of origin: Loire Valley, outside the Loire Valley region and foreign country.
  The semi-final, a written exam taken behind closed doors, is made up of questions and tasting sessions.
  The final, open to the general public, will take place, for the second time this year, as Workshops: a White and Red Wine Tasting Workshop and a Food/Wine Pairing Workshop.
  It will take place on Monday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. in Salons Loire – Galerie de Liaison.

Serge Dubs, President of the UDSF and World Best Sommelier in 1989, will chair the 2008 jury, which will be made up of professionals from the sector.

Réza Nahaboo, from Grenoble (Lycée Hôtelier), won the competition, which is a true passport to the future, in 2007.

The results will be announced on Monday, February 4 at 4:30 p.m. in Salons Loire – Galerie de Liaison.

Contact : BIVC – Tel : +33 (0)2 48 78 51 07