A woman is on the world Sommelier podium 2013
The winner is Italo-Swiss, Paolo Basso , but in second position is Véronique Rivest, the first woman to have ever got onto the world Sommelier podium
Véronique Rivest and the other best sommerlier in the world
Read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini
The XIV edition of the world championship took place in Tokyo, in the Japan where some Sommeliers – real or cartoon – are acclaimed by hoards of enthusiastic fans as if they were film stars. It was organized by the Association de la Sommelerie Internationale which groups together 60 international organizations of professionals.
Veronique took part as shed had been elected Best Sommelier of the Americas 2012.
For the first selection on March 27th, 54 candidates took part with written and service trials.
At that point 12 candidates remained who challenged each other in trials regarding tasting, recognition and commenting wines other than in the service of Champagne. Great suspense among the three finalists. The winner was Paolo Basso 46 years born in Varese and owner of a company in distribution (Ceresio Vini) in the Canton Ticino.
But the real protagonist is Veronique, the first woman on the Sommelerie
Véronique Rivest on the world Sommelier podium 2013
world podium. Finally a woman! A great victory for women in wine all over the world!
And where else could she come from but Canada? A nation where women have key roles in the wine market such as Wine Diva in Vancouver, the president of the Sommelier Association, the Master of Wine buyer for the British Columbia monopoly…. They are great!
Véronique Rivest is one of the most famous Sommelier on an International plane. Since she began to work in a restaurant, at 16, she has developed a real passion for wine, food and elegant tables. She won the title of best Canadian sommelier in 2006 and in 2012. In Paris in 2007 she was nominated “Femme du Vin”. Véronique is a great communicator and is able to transmit all her passion for wine and the table. She writes for a magazine “Le Droit” and in many specialized magazines too, she also has a feature on Radio – Canada and she collaborates with numerous TV and radio programmes.