Baur au Lac’s Marc Almert awarded Best Sommelier in the World
Marc Almert, head sommelier at Baur au Lac, has been awarded Best Sommelier in the World at a ceremony held by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) in Antwerp.
The competition saw 66 sommeliers from 63 countries undertake written exams and tastings, as well as taking part in more than 10 masterclasses on topics ranging from viticulture to winemaking, and ancient grape varieties to vintage-focussed tastings.
Almert, who is 27, said winning the title has been a “lifelong dream and I am grateful to Baur au Lac and its deep connection to the world of wine, built by six generations of the same family over the course of its 175-year history, for the unrivalled training and opportunities that they have been able to offer,” he said.
The two runners-up in the competition were Nina Højgaard Jensen from Denmark (Best Sommelier of Denmark 2017 and Best Young Sommelier of Europe 2016) and Raimonds Tomsons from Latvia (Best Sommelier of the Europe and Africa 2017).
The UK’s only representative was Eric Zwiebel, 45, who runs the wine department at the Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa in Dorset.
Baur au Lac is one of the world’s oldest five-star hotels and says it offers “one of the most diverse and high-quality cellars of any Swiss hotel”. It also has a sister company, Baur au Lac Vins, which sells fine wines from around the world.
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