Eric ZWIEBEL from Ribeauvillé soon crowned?
An Alsatian at the Best Sommelier of the World 2023 competition.
While France had welcomed it for the last time in 1989, the Best Sommelier of the World competition is moving to Paris, from 7 to 12 February 2023, 34 years after the last competition held in France – which also crowned in 1989, the Frenchman Serge Dubs.
Candidates from all over the world (66 countries represented) will compete for the precious title in the heart of the gastronomic capital. The jury is composed of international sommelier luminaries, including several former world champions including Sweden’s Andreas Larsson, Germany’s Markus Del Monego, Switzerland’s Paolo Basso, Japan’s Shinya Tasaki, France’s Olivier Poussier and Serge Dubs, among others.
Since the year 2000 and the coronation of Olivier Poussier, the France had not been awarded the highest distinction. This year, four Frenchmen are competing under different flags. Among them, an Alsatian!
Accustomed to international sommelier competitions for more than 15 years, Éric Zwiebel, originally from Ribeauvillé, has a competitive spirit. Based across the Channel since 1997 and several times finalist for the Best Sommelier of Europe as well as the World, he continues to represent the United Kingdom for this17th edition. It is his 5th participation in 2023.
Under the Tricolore umbrella, Pascaline Lepeltier is an ideal candidate. Already the first woman to win the Best Sommelier of France and Best Worker of France competitions, she has all the qualities of a great winner.
Eric Zwiebel (United Kingdom) and Grégory Mio (Luxembourg) are, with of course Pascaline Lepeltier (France), Bruno Scavo (Monaco) and Reza Nahaboo (Switzerland), the five candidates of French origin.
Eric Zwiebel
Master sommelier, Executive Head Sommelier of the Summer Lodge in London.
Born in Alsace, he began his wine career very early by helping his parents in their restaurant.
After his first two years of training as a waiter his father sent him to a 3 Michelin star restaurant where Serge Bourgeons worked who was the Best Sommelier of the World 1989, his love of wine was ignited.
Following this, he decided to move to England in 1997 to deepen his knowledge of the many wine regions and follow the courses offered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. Two years later, in 2001, Eric Zwiebel obtained his qualification as Master Sommelier.
In 2004, he won the prize for the best sommelier in the United Kingdom, 3rd place for the best sommelier in Europe in 2006 and 2008. Finalist of the best sommelier of the world 2007 and 4th at the 2013 competition in Tokyo. In 2018, he passed the ASI Certificate Gold Diploma Major of Promotion Worldwide.
Pascaline Lepeltier
Master Sommelier in 2014, one of the few women in the world holding the diploma. Trained at the school of great gastronomy at the Auberge Bretonne (**) with chef Jacques THOREL, she quickly developed starred wine lists in Belgium and the USA mainly based on natural wines or from dynamic bion.
She apprenticed the art of sommellerie as an intern at the George V under the direction of the Best Sommelier of Europe and Vice-Best Sommelier of the World Eric BEAUMARD.
Sommelier competitions arrived quickly, with the titles of Best Student Sommelier of the Loire Valley and Best Young Sommelier of Brittany awarded in 2006, then three finals of the Best Sommelier of France (2008, 2010, 2012). In 2009, promoted to beverage director of Rouge Tomato New York, she moved to Manhattan.
In 2017 the prestigious magazine The World of Fine Wine awarded Rouge Tomato the prize for Best Wine List in the World.
In 2018, she became M.O.F. Sommelerie and Meilleur Sommelier de France!
She has written for numerous publications including The World of Fine Wine and Wine & Spirits. Since May 2019, she has held a monthly column in La Revue du Vin de France, “Vu d’Ailleurs”.
Since 1969…
The list of the best sommeliers in the world has 13 names. Since 1969, the ASI (Association of International Sommellerie), which lists 50,000 professional sommeliers in 46 countries, organizes the Best Sommelier of the World Competition. It takes place every three years in one of the 46 member countries of the ISA. These last competitions attracted more than 1000 candidates. They must imperatively work in catering, wine-bars, wine libraries, or in the “oenogastronomic” industry.
In 2023, the Best Sommelier of the World competition takes place for the second time in France. Only six French sommeliers have reached the Holy Grail, and the last of them was Olivier Poussier, winner of the competition in 2000 in Montreal.
2019 Marc Almert – Germany
2016 Jon Arvid Rosengren – Sweden
2012 Paolo Basso – Switzerland
2010 Gérard Basset – United Kingdom
2007 Andreas Larsson – Sweden
2004 Enrico Bernardo – Italy
2000 Olivier Poussier – France
1998 Markus Del Monego – Germany
1995 Shinya Tasaki – Japan
1992 Philippe Faure-Brac – France
1989 Serge Dubs – France
1986 Jean-Claude Jambon – France
1983 Jean-Luc Pouteau – France
1978 Guiseppe Vaccarini – Italy
1971 Pietro Sattanino – Italy
1969 Armand Melkonian – France
Association de la Sommelerie Internationale
Website
35,000 glasses and 10,000 bottles…
The final will be held in the theater of Paris La Défense Arena,
for a thrilling show that is sure to fascinate more than 3500
professionals and amateurs.
An unmissable event to discover the many facets of the sommelier profession. This event will be accessible for the first time to the general public, through an online ticket office.
This grand finale on February 12, 2023 will also be broadcast live on the ASI YouTube channel as well as the 10 master classes offered by the competition partners.
The ASI Competition for the Best Sommelier of the World Paris 2023 is a rare opportunity to attend a high-intensity competition, in a large-scale setting, featuring talented finalists, authentic products at the service of professional excellence and figures that announce the size of this competition: more than 35,000 glasses used and nearly 10,000 bottles served!
