Jitka Auermüllerová Triumphs in the UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge
28 February 2019
67 Pall Mall’s Jitka Auermüllerová emerged top of the leader board in what proved to be the most closely contested UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge final to date.
With over 70 candidates from across the country applying for a place at the UK final, Jitka’s competition was fierce with some of the UK’s most knowledgeable sommeliers fighting for the top spot. The judging panel, comprising Ruinart’s Chef de Cave Frédéric Panaïotis, Ronan Sayburn MS (the Club’s Head of Wine) and last year’s winner Tony Lecuroux, whittled entries down to 30 finalists who competed in a blind tasting competition and then participated in Panaïotis’ Masterclass: ‘In Gas We Trust – Oxidation V Reduction’.
Panaïotis comments, “Jitka Auermüllerova, winner of the fourth edition of the UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, should be really proud of her performance”, and further adds, “On a personal note, I would like to dedicate the 2019 UK Ruinart Sommelier Challenge to wine world legend, Gerard Basset, who contributed so much to the previous three editions.” As a close friend of the Club, this dedication to Gerard adds even more gravitas to Jitka’s outstanding performance throughout the challenge.
Jitka is now set to join 15 other winning Sommeliers of the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge for an all-expenses paid, four-day educational trip to France in July, which will be hosted by Ruinart’s Chef de Cave, Frédéric Panaïotis.
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