Contest of the Best Sommelier of Europe A.S.I. 2010

11/10

Contest of the

Best Sommelier of Europe
A.S.I. 2010

From November 20th to 22nd 2010, on the banks of the Rhine

Strasbourg, European Sommeliers’ capital

If we can expect a final confrontation between the Swiss Paolo Basso and the French David Biraud – both on the podium of the last world contest – other regulars of international competitions might upset the forecasts.

A bit more than seven months after the encounter organized in Chile, won by the Franco-British Gérard Basset, the élite of the European sommellerie meets again in Strasbourg to select the successor of the Turk Isa Bal, crowned two years ago in Sofia, Bulgary. This 2010 edition will be the second set under the aegis of the International Sommellerie Association (ASI). To fulfil its preparation, Serge Dubs, President of the Union of the French Sommellerie, in charge of the organization, relied on the financial and logistic support from the Interprofessional Committee for the Alsace Wines.
But even as well-prepared as it is, a big contest really exists only with great candidates. And for that part, the top of the bill is promising!
Two out of the three finalists of the last world competition will be there. David Biraud for France and the Swiss Paolo Basso never really stopped preparing, as they will participate in two events, one after the other, organized for the first and the last time during the same year.

Paolo Basso

In those two professionals' footsteps, two young ladies are considered as the outsiders. The Norwegian Merete Bo was in semi-final in Sofia but also in Santiago de Chile. The newcomer in contests, but as competitive, is the Roumanian, settled in Nice, Julia Gosea, who also distinguished herself during the final stage of the selections in Chile and won the San Pellegrino-Aqua Panna prize.
But what also gives all its charm to a competition is the surprise effect. At the risk for the most experienced of losing the title like in 2008: nobody could imagine that Isa Bal, who had been very discreet a year before in Rhodos, would win in front of Paolo Basso or the French Eric Zwiebel who both were in finale in the Greek island...
You will have the answer on Monday November 22nd in the evening at the Convention Centre of Strasbourg. A few hundred meters only from the European Parliament. Jean BERNARD