Article by Jean Smullen WSET Dip
About SommiT 2023
The Inaugural SommiT took place in October 2022 in the oldest wine vault in Ireland (built c 1440) now incorporated into the building which houses the Medieval Museum in Waterford, the inaugural event in 2022 was only open to trade guests. The Irish Guild of Sommeliers (IGOS) are the organisers of SommiT. SommiT for Enthusiasts – Sunday 8 th October, 2023 SommiT 2023 the second edition, was a mix of trade and consumer events, with the addition this year of a consumer show SommiT for Enthusiasts, which took place in the Medieval Museum on Sunday 8 th October, 2023.
This unique event offered wine enthusiasts the chance to learn more about how the industry works. Consumers paid a €25 entrance fee to attend. Over 40 consumers attended the consumer focused event and exhibitors included O’Brien’s Wines (Waterford), Austrian Wine, Findlater & Co, and Kinsale Mead Co. Food was provided by Ballymakenny Farm & Heritage & Speciality Potatoes and Union Wine Bar & Kitchen.
A feature of the afternoon were discussion events involving Q&A sessions with the consumer presented by sommeliers, chefs, service professionals, artisanal food producers and those working in the wine industry.
SommiT 2023 SommiT 2023 was a gathering of Food and Wine professionals from within the hospitality industry Attendees included restaurant professionals, food and wine writers, hoteliers, wine importers and producers and their distributors. Over 50 guests signed up to take part in the two-day discussion event. Tickets for the two-day event were €249.00 per person and the table talk events took place on the University Campus at SETU in Waterford.
The event included discussion and debate with international authorities in many and varied areas of hospitality. SommiT 2023 featured an experiential Wine and Food Synergy Workshop developed in the US and distinctive as the only program of its kind to receive accreditation from the American Culinary Federation. The wine theme for the 2023 event was focussed on two grape varieties, Riesling, and Grenache/ Garnacha.
Guest speakers included wine industry professionals from Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, and the USA. Wine Restaurant personalities from Ireland, the UK, USA, and Canada as well as culinary educators from several Irish Universities and award-winning international sommeliers. The guest speakers attended both in person, and via on-line meeting links.
Details of the list of guests and speakers can be found here.
A very important addition to SommiT 2023 was the inaugural Star Wine List. Star Wine List is a global guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants operating in over thirty countries around the world. The company was founded in Stockholm in 2017 by Swedish publisher Krister Bengtsson and relies on the recommendations of wine professionals working in each country. Star Wine List brings sommeliers together in key cities around the world, this year they added Ireland, Belgium, Baltics, UAE, and France to their Star Wine List destinations.
How it works
Star Wine List have top sommeliers in the jury, they feel that the key is to give them the freedom to rate and debate and it is never about formulas. Venues that are listed by Star Wine List are invited to enter free of charge. The international sommelier jury chooses their favourites considering width, depth, originality, and value. it all leads up to a Grand Final that will take place in Stockholm next year on June 24th 2024
Star Wine List is not about having a big wine list. Their main criteria is to offer a reliable recommendation so that a wine lover can go to a city and have a reliable guide to the best wine venue in that region, from small natural wine bars to bistros and fine dining.
For their inaugural event in Ireland this month they had an all-female sommelier judging panel made up of Pascaline Lepeltier, Veronique Rivest, Julie Dupouy-Young and Heidi Mäkinen MW.
Star Wine List has commercial partners for certain categories in each country where the award takes place. This year the Irish sponsors included Best Sparkling Wine List, sponsored by English Sparkling wine producer, Nytimber. Austrian Wine List sponsored by AWMB (Austrian Wine Marketing Board). Best Medium Sized List sponsored by Chateau Tour des Termes. Best Californian List sponsored by DAOU and Best Sustainable Wine List, sponsored by Familia Torres. The commercial partners are NEVER involved in the selections of finalists or winners, that is completely up to the independent jury panel. For details of the Star Wine List 2023 Winners click here.
For more information about the IGOS visit www.irishguildofsommeliers.ie
Article by Jean Smullen WSET Dip
Tel : + 353 86 816 8468
Email: jean@jeansmullen.com Web: http://www.jeansmullen.com LinkedIn: JeanSmullen
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