The Shout Magazine (New Zealand)

New Zealand Sommelier of the Year Awards 2022

The New Zealand Sommelier of the Year Awards will take place on Sunday, 31 July 2022.

The competition will include two guest sommeliers from Australia who will compete in the competitions but will not be selected as winners.

Chris Ryan, Best Sommelier Australia 2021 from Cumulus in Melbourne and Max Gurtler, finalist in the Top 12 Best Sommeliers in Australia from Rockpool Bar and Grill, will join the competition at the NZ School of Food and Wine in Auckland.

The programme includes:

9am: NZ Sommelier and Junior Sommelier Competitions start
9-10.30am: Blind Tasting written notes: (one white + one red wine) and written theory questions
10.45-1pm: Service Practical: Decant and service a wine under cork, food and wine pairing and spirits blind-tasting
1.30pm: NZ Sommeliers and Wine Professionals AGM
2.30-4.00pm: NZ National Wine Tasting Competition: Teams of four people with groups coming from around New Zealand.
4.00-6.30pm: NZ Sommelier and Wine Professional Partners Wine POP UP Tasting
5.00pm: NZ Sommelier Final with three finalists competing together in:

  • Precision Pouring of Method Traditional (four minutes)
  • Wine list: spot the mistakes
  • Recognise this photo? A series of images of people and places to test your general knowledge of New Zealand and International Wines

6.30-10:00pm: New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Awards Dinner
Winners announced during dinner

The winners of the Sommelier of the Year competition will represent New Zealand at the ASI Best Sommelier Asia Oceania competition in Taiwan from 7 November 2022 – 10 November 2022.

For tickets to the NZ Sommelier of the Year Awards, click here.

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