World Class Sommelier announced as Decanter Man of the Year

Gerard Basset has been announced as the Decanter 2013 Man of the Year. The World's Best Sommelier can add this to the list of letters after his name MS, MW, MBA,OBE. He is widely credited with transforming the perception of sommeliers around the world.

He learned the ropes as a chef, restaurant manager and sommelier, rising to prominence as head sommelier at Chewton Glen, the luxury spa-hotel in Hampshire, which he joined in 1988. He then went on to co-found the Hotel du Vin business and is now owner of the Hotel TerraVina in the New Forest.

He has spent as much time mentoring young sommeliers and restaurant professionals as he has building successful businesses.

Jancis Robinson said of him ‘What I love about Gerard is that he demonstrates the same humility and curiosity today as he did when I first met him when he was a junior wine waiter at Chewton Glen in the early 1980s,’

Gerard said of his profession ‘If you want to sell it well, you have to be the one to buy it in the first place, to capture and retain your enthusiasm,’