Within the frame of this now traditional Peter Lehmann Shiraz Sommelier Award, the candidates participating in the Contest of the Best Sommeliers of Europe had to undertake a theoretical questionnaire about Shiraz, imagine courses to match different Shiraz wines selected for a Peter Lehmann presentation dinner. For the blind tasting, they had to comment the Pago Garduna 2006 from Abadia Retuerta, Ribera del Duero, Spain. In the former contests, Shiraz wines from South Africa, France, Chile and Italy had been tasted.
Upon receiving this Peter Lehmann Shiraz European Sommelier Award, David Biraud said: “I actually discovered the shiraz wines from the New World -and specially Australia- a few years ago during the Peter Lehmann 25 years tasting organized in Paris. It did start there ! And since then, I have been dreaming of going to Australia… I am so happy to have won this competition !”
Indeed, David Biraud not only became an Ambassador for Peter Lehmann Wines but he is invited by Peter Lehmann Wines to deepen his knowledge of the Shiraz grape in the Barossa Valley. He was offered by Hans Aström, Vice-Chairman of PLW and Chairman of Hess Family Estates Europe, a double magnum of PLW Futures Shiraz. “Futures, a name that perfectly sticks to our policy with the young sommeliers, because they are our future…”.
Created in cooperation with the ASI, the PLW Award aims at inciting and at helping the sommeliers to know better and appreciate Shiraz as one of the world’s classic red wine varietals. Shinya Tasaki, Best Sommelier of the World in 1995 and newly elected President of ASI, commented : “It is a wonderful idea from Peter Lehmann Wines to help the sommeliers improve their knowledge and also a fantastic motivation for them. This is a partnership really in line with the philosophy of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.”