French sommelier Gerard Basset, arguably the world’s top wine steward, is determined to change perceptions of the disdainful Frenchman. Ruby Gao explains.

Sommelier Gerard Basset compares himself to a glass of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — persistent, tannic and yet with soft in character.

In fact, his life is an example of persistence in achieving his wine goals.

“To be a great sommelier, persistent commitment speaks louder than talent,” Basset says.

Basset is arguably the world’s top sommelier and he has played a leading role in changing the definition of wine service and altering the stereotype of the haughty, condescending Frenchman. His aim is to put customers at ease.

The 56-year-old French wine steward achieved his wine dream in England. He is the only person to hold all three degrees — Master Sommelier (MS), Master of Wine (MW) and Wine MBA.

He was the World Champion Sommelier in 2010.

In May this year he was honored “Decanter Man of the Year,” a title “given only to individuals who made a difference in the world of wine and whose influence will live on,” says Sarah Kemp, publishing director of Decanter.

He has changed the perception of a sommelier, from the stereotypical “haughty Frenchman with his nose in the air who condescends to his customers” to being a helpful steward “at the forefront of guiding consumers to the diversity of wine, and joyfully so,” Kemp explains.

“Every customer is different. It’s important for a sommelier to stand in the customer’s shoes, understanding them, caring about them, making them feel comfortable, especially when serving those who feel scared about wine,” says Basset, who spoke to Shanghai Daily in an exclusive interview at the Jing An Shangri-La last Friday after a sommelier competition.

He sums up his wine-serving philosophy: “I always give customers more than one suggestion or they will feel backed into a corner. The wine list also shows how much you respect your customers. For example, if a list has 90 percent expensive wines and 10 percent affordable wines, some customers will feel embarrassed because they are forced to choose from that negligible 10 percent. It’s just like telling them ‘you are not part of the club’.”

Many young sommeliers look up to him because of both his achievements and his modesty and approachable character.

“What I love about Gerard is that he demonstrates the same humility and curiosity today as he did when I first met him when he was a junior wine waiter at Chewton Glen in the early 1980s,” says Jancis Robinson, a world-leading wine critic and a MW.

Basset has also discovered and mentored a generation of the world’s leading sommeliers.

“My way of inspiring the young generation is working with them, exercising blind tasting together with them, showing them I am not magic and make mistakes as well. If I can, you can!” says the wine master.

He was in Shanghai to judge Shangri-La’s first Best Sommelier Competition and to hold a one-day master class for all the Shangri-La’s sommeliers.

“We invited him not only because of his humble character and strong eagerness to learn, but also because he understands the importance of salesmanship as a sommelier. We do not see all these qualities in most Chinese sommeliers,” says Lu Yang, wine director at Shangri-La Group.

As a Hong Kong-based hotel group with half of its hotels in China, Shangri-La’s most sommeliers are Chinese. Basset cites Jerry Liao, who took third place, as an impressive example of the best of the young generation.

Liao is managing sommelier at the Jing An Shangri-La.

“He’s very talented and knowledgeable in the theoretical part and he could go far. Very soon Chinese sommeliers like him will be considered qualified to compete on the world stage,” Basset says.

Sommelier is still a new profession in China, he observes. “Many are enthusiastic, repeatedly talking about their ‘passion,’ (but) I think the word is overused. Without action and persistent commitment, it means nothing.”

Right attitude

He often discovers talent in competitions and also sees promise in some people who don’t take the awards. Winners show talent but some who don’t win show the right attitude and ask them what mistakes they made.

Basset competed for World’s Best Sommelier six times until he won the first prize. In 1992, 2004 and 2007 he took second place.

“If you finish second three times, it’s very frustrating not to win. It’s just one step away from the first, and second means nothing,” he observes.

The first time he won second place, he felt fantastic, but the second and third times, photographers wanted only the champion and asked him to get out of the shot.

When he finally won first place in 2010, he stayed for an hour on stage and his 11-year-old son Romane was old enough to share his glory.

Basset once considered giving up during those attempts, asking himself whether it was worth all the energy, time and money, however, he persevered.

Among his numerous titles, including an OBE for contributions to the hospitality industry, Basset considers the MW to be the most challenging. He attained it in 1998, nine years after he was accredited MS.

The academic exams and essays were difficult because they had to be written in English, and he left school at the age of 16.

“I even cannot write an essay well in French,” the master says. “That’s completely alien to me.”

Compared with other MW students focusing on blind tasting and improving their wine knowledge, Basset had to make special efforts to express himself in written English.

He regularly read The Economist, which is known for its well-organized, essay-like articles.

“I learned writing through analyzing the structure of each paragraph,” he says, he worked out how to make his introduction and conclusion fit.

A sour beginning

Basset left school early because he was discontented and wanted a change. His parents fought every day and didn’t support his aspiration to be a cyclist and win the Tour de France.

He was good in math and for a time he was at the top of his class in math, but he stopped studying because he couldn’t concentrate at home. “I always acted like a clown at school to make people laugh,” he says of his way of getting attention.

In 1979, he went to Liverpool for a football match, fell in love with England and moved there.

As a Frenchman without skills and unable to speak English, he didn’t have many choices. He became a kitchen porter.

When his English improved, he was promoted to waiter since it was assumed French people know about food and wine.

“But they’re wrong. Actually I knew little,” he recalls.

He returned to France for a two-year chef’s course and then returned to England to begin his food and wine journey.

“My chef’s background was a great advantage as I began to serve wine,” he says. “Since I knew how to make the food, I could explain the connection and interaction between food and wine.”

In 1988 he joined Chewton Glen, a luxury hotel in Hampshire, rising to head sommelier. Then he started his marathon for various qualifications and competitions.

In 1994 Basset started his life as hotelier, cofounding Hotel du Vin in Winchester and selling it 10 years later. In 2007, he and his wife Nina opened TerraVina, a boutique hotel, in Hampshire.

“When establishing a hotel, many hoteliers look at the number of rooms and location, while I focus on the cellar,” says Basset.

At Hotel du Vin, Basset used to sit on one side with his partner, describing attractive women as types of wine, a beautiful Riesling or a lovely Chardonnay.

He always supported his staff when they were bullied by rude customers and once banned an ill-mannered patron from his hotel.

Times have been hard since the global financial crisis hit in 2008, followed by the great recession in the euro zone.

At times there are only four customers/guests a day and no room bookings. “Probably that’s because making money is not the goal my wife and I originally set.”

As in his wine career, he believes persistence will pay off. “In the future I will focus more on pursuing a business success,” says Basset.