Chaîne des Rôtisseurs GB announces launch of Gerard Basset Tasting Trophy

An award for young sommeliers is to be launched in memory of the late Gerard Basset by the Great Britain branch of the international gastronomic society Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

The Gerard Basset Tasting Trophy will be presented to the sommelier, aged 30 or under, who scores the highest marks in the blind tasting and food matching sections of the GB Young Sommelier final, taking place alongside the GB Young Chef finals, at the Gaggenau showrooms, London, on 5 March.

Basset, co-founder of Hotel du Vin and the World's Best Sommelier 2010, died last month, nearly two years after he was diagnosed with oesophagus cancer.

The winner of the new accolade - revealed at an awards dinner at the Dorchester hotel on 22 March - will receive the trophy from Basset's widow Nina.

Philip Evins, billi délégué (national president) of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs GB, said: "Gerard was not only a close personal friend, but also highly-committed professional member of the Chaîne, who gave so much of his time to head up the judging panels year after year, and also mentor so many young sommeliers as they honed their skills.

The winner of the Young Sommelier UK title will go on to compete in the Chaîne's international finals in Seoul, South Korea, in September.

Basset played an integral part in helping Great Britain take first or second place in eight out of the past 10 years of the global finals.

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