4 sommeliers form French team to win international titles

o fuel hopes of winning medals at the next international competitions, a French sommelier team has just been established by the country’s national sommelier organisation (UDSF), following an announcement by its new chairman Fabrice Sommier. A press statement explains that the initiative is designed for the French sommelier industry to “assert its ambitions for international competitions”. Managed by David Biraud, the unsuccessful candidate for several international titles, the team has four of France’s best sommeliers of the last ten years: Gaëtan Bouvier, the 2016 title recipient; Pascaline Lepeltier, 2018; Florent Martin, 2021; and Philippe Troussard, 2016.

A first ‘elite training camp’ will take place in Mâcon - where the UDSF now has its head office following the election of its new chairman - from Sunday 26 to Tuesday 2 November to teach “theory, technique, tasting, psychological preparation, eloquence and sophrology”. Preparations will continue through to the Best Sommelier of Europe competition in November 2024 in Belgrade (Serbia), then the Best Sommelier of the World competition in 2026 competition in Portugal.