Cateys 2023: Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award: Romain Bourger

Romain Bourger, wine and beverage director at the Vineyard, wins the Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award, sponsored by Matthew Clark.

Romain Bourger, wine and beverage director at the Vineyard at Stockcross, Berkshire, has received the Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award in light of his inspiring commitment to education.

Bourger, who is a highly trained sommelier with over 15 years’ experience, started out as a commis sommelier at Hotel du Vin Winchester. The former Acorn Award winner received recognition for his talents from the beginning of his career in wine, winning UK Young Sommelier of the Year in 2016.

He went onto represent the UK at the International Young Sommelier of the Year competition, where he came second. Three years later, in 2019, he received the highly coveted title of UK Sommelier of the Year.

He also holds an Advanced qualification from the Court of Master Sommelier, and more recently passed his Association de la Sommellerie Internationnale Diploma with a Gold result. He also achieved the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 with distinction and bagged the AA Wine Award for England and Great Britain overall. He is now a judge at the Young Sommelier of the Year Competition and the ASI Diploma.

He has also proved to be a supportive mentor, having trained several sommeliers including Mathias Camilleri MS, associate director F&B operations of Como Group Singapore and UK best Sommelier 2017; Diego Gonzalez Barbolla, head sommelier at restaurant Ambivium, Ribera del Duero, Spain; and Alexios Stasinopoulos, director of wine for Seren Collection.

At the Vineyard, Bourger has created an interactive self-discovery wine flight experience served on a ‘wine tree stand’ that has proved to be a hit with social media influencers. He has also introduced a bubble wine flight for afternoon tea; devised ingenious pairings with the hotel tasting menu, featuring the inclusion of a Californian-style cocktail and English still wines; and private cellar tours of the hotel’s winery. In addition, he has become known for his expertise and promotion of Californian wines, which has attracted significant sales to the on-trade as well as among private clients.

Bourger offers weekly training sessions for staff for food and wine pairing, wine services and general beverage demonstrations. Moreover, he spends time organising regular visits to local wineries, breweries or distilleries with his team to increase their awareness of local products.

He now has aims to take the WSET Educator programme, which will make the Vineyard an Approved Programme Provider that will help the internal food and beverage team further enrich their knowledge, as well as enabling guests to induct themselves in the profession.

Bourger is a role model for the industry, having demonstrated his own brilliance in the trade with skill and generosity.

What the judges said

“Romain has huge experience in the wine world, is an outstanding sommelier and very much known as an educator.” Craig Bancroft

“Romain is a true champion of education who will continue to develop others and be a true ambassador for the great world of wine.” Nicolas Clerc

The shortlist

Romain Bourger, the Vineyard

Stephanie Robertson, Restaurant Associates

Agnieszka Swiecka, Mount Street

The judges

Craig Bancroft, Northcote

Nina Basset, the Gérard Basset Foundation

Nicolas Clerc, Armit Wines

Xavier Rousset, Blandford Comptoir