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Gerard Basset travel scholarship still open for applicants

Commencing in 2020, The Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship - created by Nina and Romané Basset along with Ronan Sayburn MS and Tim Atkin MW - will see £5,000 awarded on an annual basis to a UK-based sommelier to enable them to visit a winemaking country of their choice and explore its regions, winemakers and wine personalities.

Some “really strong” applications had already come through from a number of sommeliers who “evidently have a real passion for wine”, said Nina Basset.

“Just about everyone has a different wish-list region or country they would like to visit, which would come as no surprise to Gerard who had so many personal favourite wine places!

“He believed that travelling to a region really was the best way to learn about it, which is why we we’ve set up this award. Education and inspiring young sommeliers was so important to Gerard, and the travel bursary will enable this to carry on in his name.”

Entrants for the award are invited to submit a written statement of up to 500 words to nina@ninabasset.com by 16th January detailing why they are applying for the scholarship, how they plan to spend the money, and how they see it benefiting their future careers.

A judging panel, including the creaters of the scholarship, will then select a short-list of three candidates for interview in order to decide on an eventual winner.

An inaugural fundraising dinner will take place at 67 Pall Mall on 1st February 2020 to which 50 guests will be invited to purchase a ticket and bring along a wine of their choice to share on the evening. A modest percentage of the ticket price will go towards the food, with 67 Pall Mall sponsoring the other elements of the event. The remainder of the ticket price will be put towards the bursary fund.

• wine
• sommelier
• Gerard Basset
• The Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship