A panel of Celebrity Judges will award the Grand Prize of a one-week Internship in Burgundy, France to the winning Sommelier, compliments ofBecky Wasserman & Co. In addition, the Winning Sommelier will be presented with a $2000 Travel Grant by The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas. The Judges Panel include:
Master Sommelier Craig Collins of ELM Restaurant Group, Peju Napa Valley Winemaker Sara Fowler, Burgundy Winemaker Nicolas Rossignol ofDomaine Nicolas Rossignol, and Peter Wasserman of Becky Wasserman and Co.
The Emcee for the event is Master Sommelier June Rodil, Wine and Beverage Director for McGuire Moorman Hospitality Group.
VIP Ticketholders will enjoy Wine Tasting and Education, presented byNapa Valley Vintners featuring Rosemary Cakebread of Gallica, Michael Eddy - Louis Martini Winery, Sara Fowler of PEJU, and Chris Hall - Long Meadow Ranch Winery. In this presentation, VIP guests will get an in-depth look into the World of Napa Valley!
VIP and General Admission Ticketholders will experience the Chopin VodkaCocktail Challenge Competition, followed by the Somms Under Fire Wine & Food Pairing Competition. The Wine and Food Competition will feature Wines from all over the world paired with Food prepared by Chef Drew Curren of ELM Restaurant Group, highlighting Arro, Italic, and Easy TigerRestaurants.
VIP Tickets are $130 and General Admission are $65 and can be purchased via http://keepercollection.com/somms-under-fire .
The three Finalists competing for the title of Somms Under Fire 2016 Champion (listed alphabetically below) are:
- Advanced Sommelier Luke Boland, Sommelier, Del Posto Restaurant, New York City, New York;
- Advanced Sommelier Blake Leja, District Manager, Signature Luxury Wine & Spirits, Chicago, Illinois; and
- Certified Sommelier Ryan Robinson, Manager and Sommelier at Ruth Chris Steakhouse in Boise, Idaho.
The Fan Favorite Sponsor for 2016 Somms Under Fire is Napa Valley Vintners. The winner will be awarded a 4 day, 3 night educational trip to Napa Valley, California, including Round Trip Airfare, as well as all Accommodations and Meals, provided by Napa Valley Vintners
For additional information regarding Somms Under Fire, please visithttp://keepercollection/somms-under-fire.
ABOUT KEEPER COLLECTION
Keeper Collection has distinguished itself in a wide array of fields that are dedicated to food and wine experiences and education - #SommChat, Somms Under Fire, Wine Ride, Chefs Under Fire, and Keeper Travel. Keeper has garnered international attention for its creation of #SommChat, a weekly wine education forum on Twitter, held from 12 N- 1 PM EST. Wine and Spirits Magazine wrote that “#SommChat is ‘Wine in 140 characters’ and has garnered an impressive guest list.” The impressive guest list includes international wine professionals and an audience comprised of active participants from around the world. Keeper is on Facebook (Keeper Collection, LLC),Twitter (@keepercoll), and Instagram (@keepercoll)—providing the Finest Blend of Taste and Technology®.
