Young Sommeliers Competition

April 28, 2018

Joe Scorgie, Vice-Conseiller Gastronomic

The first ever regional Young Sommeliers Competition for Alberta was held on April 28 at Hotel Arts.

The competition consisted of six young sommeliers from Calgary and Edmonton.

The competitors were:

Evan Watson – Bar Clementine Edmonton
Devin Mckay – Willow Park Wines Calgary
Samantha Nelmes – Willow Park Wines Calgary
Taylor Simpson – Teatro Calgary
Adam Perry –  Run Pig Run Calgary
Danielle Neufeld – The Dean House Calgary

Each finalist’s journey began with a written knowledge exam on April 7 of which  the top six competitors were able to advance to the practical service and tasting portion of the competition.

The final competition consisted of four parts:

Champagne Service

Red Wine Service & Decanting

Menu Pairing

Blind Tasting

After all was said and done Evan Watson from Bar Clementine was awarded the First Place medal for the Best Young Sommelier in Alberta in 2018

Second place went to Taylor Simpson

Third Place went to Devin McKay

A special thank you to this years sponsors:

Pacific Wine & Spirits
Taittinger Champagne
Hotel Arts
The Ranchmen’s Club
The Wine Cellar