Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship 2021 bursary open for applicants

By Lisa Riley

Published: 10 February, 2021

The annual Gerard Basset Travel Scholarship 2021 bursary is now open to UK-based sommelier entrants.

Founded in 2020, in honour and memory of the late Gerard Basset OBE, MS, MW, MSc (OIV), the scheme is the creation of Nina and Romané Basset, along with Ronan Sayburn MS and Tim Atkin MW.

Entrants for this year’s bursary are invited to submit a written statement of up to 500 words 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 Nina, Romané, Sayburn, Atkin and Laura Rhys MS, will then select a short-list of three candidates for interview in order to decide on an eventual winner.

The panel will help with contacts and suggestions to ensure the winner’s eventual trip is as "rich and comprehensive" in content and experiences as possible.

“Education, mentoring and inspiring young sommeliers was something very dear to Gerard, as anyone who met him will know. He always maintained that travelling to the wine regions of the world broadened his mind, his knowledge and wine experiences better than any other form of study ever could,” said Nina.

“Of course, in these current times travel is something we are all missing, but the world will open up again and we will all be able to travel more freely once more.

“We want to ensure Gerard’s legacy lives on, which is why in 2021 we have established the Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation and this scholarship is one of a number that we are offering to wine students and definitely an award that Gerard would have approved of wholeheartedly.”

This year’s fundraising dinner at 67 Pall Mall will take place at a later date. Fifty 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.

Entrants should send their submissions through to nina@ninabasset.com before the 28May 2021 deadline.

Lise Donier-Meroz, a sommelier at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume restaurant, won the inaugural Gerard Basset Travel Bursary.