Winner of the Wine Scholarship by Le Cordon Bleu

The final of the competition took place on Friday 29^th July, with eleven finalists competing for a prize which includes enrolment in the Diploma in Wine Gastronomy and Management at Le Cordon Bleu London and an exclusive internship at HIDE and Hedonism Wines.

The final of the competition was comprised of a blind wine tasting challenge which took place in the dedicated wine classroom at the institute, followed by individual interviews for each candidate with the judges, Matthieu Longuere MS, Wine Development Manager for Le Cordon Bleu London, David Hargreaves, London Regional Account Manager for Louis Latour Agencies and Gusbourne's Global Brand Ambassador, Laura Rhys MS.

Following rigorous deliberation by the judges, the day culminated in the evening with an awards ceremony. Matthieu led the proceedings with a speech which thanked all the finalists and scholarship partners, including Louis Latour, Gusbourne, Smith & Sheth, Pyramid Valley, Viu Manent, Banfi, HIDE and Hedonism.

Starting off the award ceremony, David Hargreaves announced second runner up Elizabeth MacRae, currently a Food and Nutrition teacher, who received a prize of a mixed case of wines from the partners and a Reserved Membership with Gusbourne. Matthew Mawtus from HIDE announced Caitlin Vause in second place. A Wine Advisor from Cardiff, Caitlin also receives the membership with Gusbourne and a selection of wines from the partners.

Matthieu returned to announce a stunned Josephine as the winner of the grand prize of a full scholarship. General Manager of a Café, Deli and Bar from Cambridge, Josephine has a few months to prepare for the start of a life changing prize which begins in October 2022. Combined, the 9-month programme comprises the 6-month diploma and a 3-month internship, split across more than one discipline.

After the official proceedings had concluded, the finalists and guests, which included wine and hospitality professionals, enjoyed a wine and canapés reception. Guests enjoyed a glass or two of Gusbourne’s award-winning Blanc de Blancs, an English sparkling wine made using Chardonnay grapes, alongside the opportunity to taste a selection of wines from Louis Latour Agencies, which includes Smith & Sheth, Pyramid Valley, Viu Manent and Banfi.

Find our more about the Diploma in Wine Gastronomy and Management or please visit our programmes page to discover all of the available courses.