Moët et Chandon honours world’s best sommelier

The champagne house marked the launch of its 2002 vintage by honouring Gérard Basset MW.

Moët, which sponsors the annual World’s Best Sommelier competition, launched the new vintage at Basset’s Hotel Terravina, in the New Forest. In addition, Basset was presented with two silver Moët et Chandon bottles: a jeroboam, and a methuselah bearing the names of the previous winners of the award.

Basset described himself as ‘the Jimmy White of sommeliers’ at the launch, having finished runner-up in the competition three times before winning the title in April this year.

And Moët cellarmaster Benoit Gouez described the 2002 vintage as ‘more emotional, and less technical and rational’ than previous Moët vintages, adding that its style was ‘all about texture and creaminess’.

Pictured: Gérard Basset MW (right), receives his jeroboam and methuselah replica bottles from Jean Berchon (left), the last remaining family member of the Moët et Chandon family.

News item from Imbibe.com, 19-10-2010