Vikram Sundhoo Best Sommelier Of Mauritius

Contest Mauritius

Vikram Sundhoo

Best Sommelier Of Mauritius

Working at Saint-Régis, one of the island’s luxury hotels, he won the third edition of the contest organized by ASIM.
A national association that will apply for the status of observer within the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.

A l'issue de l'annonce du résultat, candidats, membres du jury et du comité technique étaient réunis. The Association of Sommeliers of Mauritius (ASIM) has been undertaking a real ground work for several years in favour of the development of the profession in the middle of the Indian Ocean. If this results in education actions within the numerous luxury establishments that dot the coastline, the real highlight is, every two years, the contest of the Best Sommelier of Mauritius. A competition whose list of winners has been complemented with Vikram Sundhoo’s name, after Pascaline Chettiar in 2010 and Jorald Julie in 2012.

Jorald Julie, former ‘champion’, congratulated Vikram Sundhoo, his successor,
for his performance.

Under Jérôme Faure’s presidency, ASIM organized a first selection that gathered only the Mauritian sommeliers. They were 22 and only the 6 first reached the semi-finals organized at Hotel and Catering School Sir Gaetan Duval. “Four written tests and as much workshops enabled the three best to outstand and fight the finals, in the afternoon, in the prestigious setting of Château de Labourdonnais”, Jérôme Faure, also head sommelier of Constance, explains.

A very French contest

To give real credibility, ASIM―that modeled its statutes on the UDSF’s―also asked for the support of French sommeliers who regularly sit in the juries. David Biraud and Antoine Woerlé thus provided their expertise for the content of the tests as well as the organization of the workshops of the finals that confronted future winner Vikram Sundhoo (Saint-Régis), Cheryline Coulon (Constance Le Prince Maurice) and Jeff Thome Luciano (Scott). Commented tasting, food and wine pairings, decanting and service, presentation about the cigar and natural sweet wines enabled each of them to show their knowledge and savoir-faire. Thus Vikram to outstand and win the title but also the prize that goes with it: in this case a journey to France and a stay at Olivier Decelle’s domains at Saint-Emilion and at Maury that was handed over by Nicolas Raffy, manager and vinifier at Mas Amiel. An opportunity to discover vineyards he only knows throug tastings and pictures.

As for ASIM, it continues its development and Jérôme Faure will be present at Vinexpo in June 2015 to present his association during A.S.I. General Assembly. “Our goal is to evidence our seriousness and the work accomplished since more than 5 years to strengthen the place of the sommellerie in our establishements. The status of observer will enable us to present in next autum a candidate at the Asia-Oceania contest.”

Jean Bernard