Pyrénées-Orientales: Bastien Debono won the title of best sommelier in France, this Sunday in Thuir

At first glance, it looked like a play. But it wasn't one of them. The scenes that played out on the stages of Thuirin this Sunday, November 3, 2024 were very real. And serious consequences for the main actors. Here, within the emblematic Sud de France Regional Sommelier Institute, in the Byrrh cellars in Thuir, the grand final of the competition for the best sommelier in France took place. A competition organized by the Union of French Sommellerie (UDSF) which, as usual, is held in the capital. “It always happens in Paris! It’s very rare for the final of the event to be relocated. It’s a boon for the Pyrénées-Orientales. The last time a competition event took place in the department, That was over ten years ago.”stressed Laetitia Mathieu, the pedagogical manager of the Institute.

A career springboard

After passing the semi-final of the competition which took place on September 9 in Bordeaux, the three finalists Bastien Debono (head sommelier at the hotel-restaurant La Maison Bleue by Yoann Conte), Clément Sommier ( consultant sommelier Berthaudin SA Carouge) and Quentin Vauléon (sommelier at Frevo – USA) competed this Sunday afternoon in a final series of tests to win the coveted title of best sommelier of France 2024. A coronation which rewards not only the mastery of the techniques of the trade, but also the art of enhancing the experience around wine.

From the moment you are elected best sommelier in France, everything changes.

“They are risking their lives, their careers. From the moment you are elected best sommelier in France, everything changes. The winner will work in the most beautiful palaces. He will host conferences in the four corners of the globe. And then, he will join the France team to prepare for the competition for best sommelier in Europe and the world.” As the Institute's educational manager reminded us, the stakes are high and could change the life of the winner. On the program of the tests that day: theoretical questionnaires, food and wine pairing exercises, mixology and service. All this, in front of an audience of 550 people and around twenty jurors. Among them on the auditorium stage, the crème de la crème, the sommelier elite. With, among others, former Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, the best sommeliers of recent years… Big names in gastronomy were also present. Like the three-star Aude chef Gilles Goujon.

Each in turn, for 45 minutes, Bastien, Clément and Quentin must have caused a sensation. Before the trials began, no one except the jurors knew the true nature of the trials that awaited them. The three finalists discovered it as a fait accompli. At around 3:30 p.m., sommelier Clément Sommier entered the scene. During his visit, his competitors were isolated upstairs to avoid any possible cheating. After having to find which wine to pair a terrine with, the finalist had to propose a three-day wine tourism course for fictitious vacationers who would stay here, in Roussillon. Please note, he is originally from the Côte-d'Or and works in Switzerland.

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A three-way duel: who will be crowned best sommelier in France 2024 this Sunday, November 3?

“What would you offer them?“, one of the members of the jury asked him in the language of Shakespeare. Confident, in perfect English, Clément did not stammer: “For the first day, I would invite them to go to the Aspres to visit the Caves Byrrh but also the Château Castelnou estate which is located in one of the most beautiful villages in France. For the second day, I would offer them set off to discover the Côte Vermeille and its Collioure-Banyuls wine. Finally, for the last day, I would advise them to go to Perpignan and the Rivesaltes vineyard.

After deliberation by the jurors, at the end of the afternoon, at the foot of the largest oak thunderbolt in the world listed in the Guinness Book of Records, the results were announced. Haut-Savoyard Bastien Debono was crowned best sommelier in France 2024. Tchin!