The 2018 Ruinart Sommeliers Challenge will be held in Melbourne on Monday 19 March.
Applications can be made online and are open until 28 February 2018. Entry is open to all registered Sommelier Members of Sommeliers Australia.
The challenge reflects Champagne Ruinart’s commitment to the development of the global sommelier community and sommeliers to test their skills and join a technical lecture led by Ruinart winemaker Caroline Fiot.
“We are pleased to work with Sommeliers Australia,” says Fiot. “2018 marks the fifth edition of the Ruinart Sommeliers Challenge and I am thrilled to discover the top level of competition in Australia.”
Fiot will conduct a blind tasting of four wines and run technical training for the 26 finalists chosen to attend the Sommeliers Challenge.
The judging panel will select one sommelier from the group based upon their blind tasting responses to be the Ruinart Sommeliers Challenge 2018 winner. The winner will be announced on 19 March 2018 at the conclusion of the training day.
The winner of the Ruinart Sommeliers Challenge will receive a return business class trip to France in July and attend a four-day educational trip to Reims hosted by Ruinart chef de caves Frédéric Panaïotis.
“After trying for the Ruinart Sommeliers Challenge for the last four years I finally made it in 2017,” says Bhatia Dheeraj, 2017 challenge winner and head sommelier of Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant.
To register for the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, click here.