There were several hundred at the start, there are only 40 left in the running this Sunday in Cognac for the quarter-finals. The semis take place in the afternoon and the final on Monday October 21, always at the same place. Marc Pottier, who is participating for the third time, crammed to prepare for the written test (on appellations, changes in regulations, wine news, etc.) which accounts for half of the grade. A group was even created between wine merchants to test themselves before the events.
Between 3000 and 5000 wines tasted per year
As for speaking, the young 28-year-old wine merchant trains assiduously throughout the year, as he himself admits: “It’s a little scary but I taste roughly between 3000 and 5000 wines per year, plus 1000 to 2000 spirits. It may seem like a lot, but in fact, we do a lot of trade shows and meetings with winegrowers. Of course, I point out that we spit every time, the goal is not to be drunk, it’s to taste and discover new things. So we taste a lot. Afterwards, in terms of grape varieties, I have to be in the middle. 120 and 130 is not bad, the same goes for spirits. This competition represents a real challenge for the Norman in a profession which does not have a Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition. This therefore serves as a reference and represents a great business card to reinforce its customers and attract new ones. Hoping for a good performance for this third participation… Marc Pottier’s objective: to win the title of best wine merchant in France, or failing that, the title of best young person awarded to those under 30.
France
