The Championship

This Sunday the Swedish Championship of Sommelier was held in Stockholm. Of course, I had to be there to watch the finals. 😃 The competition is held yearly by the Swedish Sommelier Association were a lot of companies in the business are present.

The contestants need to go through a written exam and several practical elements on stage. Must be nerve racking!

The Conferenciers

During the day the two wonderful conferenciers Maya Samuelsson and Carl Frosterud certainly entertained us. Maya is known from tv for her expertise in wine but also for being part of the family business, The Scandinavian Wine Academy. Carl Frosterud is a well-known profile in the restaurant industry in Sweden and currently as the General Manager of the three-star restaurant Franzen. Together they took us through the program with funny quiz, well renowned guests such as Sören Polonius and Andreas Larsson, and of course an exciting competition.

Well Done!

The Contestants

We had three final contestants, Ellen Franzen, Tina Johansson and Emma Ziemann. Ellen is working as a sommelier at Gastrologik in Stockholm who recently earn their second star in Guide Michelin. Tina is working at Fotografiska in Stockholm and Emma at Thörnströms Kök in Gothenburg. They all gave their best effort in this difficult challenge, and we all were truly impressed. At the end of the day the jury announced (drums….) Ellen Franzen as the winner of 2019. The room became filled with applauds and cheering, champagne pouring and tears falling from the winner. A wonderful and touching moment!

Refreshment

As a guest we didn’t have to enjoy the competition empty handed. There were several distributors that gave us the opportunities to taste champagne, white and red wine as well as something nice for our stomachs. Something that really caught my eyes was the wine selection that Skoogs Vinhandel presented, wine from 1971, 1969 and 1896. What can you say, that is what you call “drinking history”. 😊

Star Wine List

Star Wine List help you find great wine bars and restaurants. “You can search for tens of thousands of wines and see where they are listed in restaurants and wine bars”. How cool is that? Check out their website, Star Wine List!

Star Wine List of the Year – The Announcement

During the end of the day Krister Bengtsson from Star Wine List entered the stage. It was time to announce the winners in their 8 categories. He presented the eminent jury and how they had reached their result.

Then the winners in each category entered the stage and received their well-deserved prices.

Below you see the winner in the respective category.

• Grand Prix – PM & Vänner, Växjö
• By the Glass – Folii, Stockholm
• Italian Wine List – Granen, Åre
• Austrian Wine List – PM & Vänner, Växjö
• German Wine List – PM & Vänner, Växjö
• Champagne Wine List – Grand Hotel, Stockholm
• Rhone Wine List – Djuret, Stockholm
• Original Wine List – Wine Mechanics, Gothenburg

Congratulations to all of you!!

Rounding off

It was an inspiring day with a lot of talents. If it gave you the motivation to develop your skills in wine, I can really recommend The Scandinavian Wine Academy. They have several courses on different levels and great references.

Here you have a bunch of tips! So, feel like trying something new or just want enjoy a nice glass? Now you know where to go. 😊

Cheers! 😉