Gerard Basset
Encyclopedia
Gerard Francis Claude Basset OBE
is the owner with his wife, Nina, of Hotel Terravina
, a New Forest
Hotel near Southampton
in Hampshire
, United Kingdom
. According to a December 2008 interview with The Independent, he is currently the only person in the world to hold the combined titles of Master of Wine
, Master Sommelier, Wine MBA
and World's Best Sommelier.
Basset attended the Lycee Albert Camus, School in Firminy
, France. After training in Lyon
, he moved to England to start his career as a sommelier quickly becoming Head Sommelier at Chewton Glen, the Michelin-starred hotel in Hampshire. In 1989, he qualified as a Master Sommelier and in 1998 as a Master of Wine. In 1992, he also won Best International Sommelier for French Wines (Paris). He has subsequently been ranked in 2nd place in the World's Best Sommelier Competition on three occasions, until he won the title upon his sixth attempt in 2010.
In 1994 Basset co-founded Hotel du Vin
with partner Robin Hutson, by opening their first hotel in Winchester
. The chain grew to six hotels before selling to MWB Group in October 2004.
Basset published his first book in 2000 that focused on wine tasting designed for wine students called The Wine Experience edited by Kyle Cathie. In 2007, Basset opened Hotel TerraVina
in the New Forest near Southampton with his wife Nina. Basset serves as the Worldwide Vice President at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is Director of the Academy of Food and Wine Service.
Basset was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
for services to the hospitality industry.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is the owner with his wife, Nina, of Hotel Terravina
Hotel Terravina
Hotel TerraVina is a boutique New Forest Hotel near Southampton in Hampshire, established by Gerard Basset and his wife Nina. Gerard co-founded Hotel du Vin with Robin Hutson. The hotel has 11 bedrooms, a large restaurant, bar and terrace and a swimming pool....
, a New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
Hotel near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. According to a December 2008 interview with The Independent, he is currently the only person in the world to hold the combined titles of Master of Wine
Master of Wine
Master of Wine is a qualification issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom...
, Master Sommelier, Wine MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
and World's Best Sommelier.
Basset attended the Lycee Albert Camus, School in Firminy
Firminy
Firminy is a commune in the Loire department in central France.It lies on the Ondaine River 8 mi. S.W. of Saint-Étienne by rail.-Sights:Two historic churches from the 12th and 16th centuries are located here...
, France. After training in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, he moved to England to start his career as a sommelier quickly becoming Head Sommelier at Chewton Glen, the Michelin-starred hotel in Hampshire. In 1989, he qualified as a Master Sommelier and in 1998 as a Master of Wine. In 1992, he also won Best International Sommelier for French Wines (Paris). He has subsequently been ranked in 2nd place in the World's Best Sommelier Competition on three occasions, until he won the title upon his sixth attempt in 2010.
In 1994 Basset co-founded Hotel du Vin
Hotel du Vin
Hotel du Vin is a luxury boutique hotel chain in the United Kingdom, co-founded by Gerard Basset and Robin Hutson.-History:The hotel chain was founded in Winchester in 1994 by Gerard Basset and Robin Hutson who both previously had worked at the famous Chewton Glen hotel where Basset was the Head...
with partner Robin Hutson, by opening their first hotel in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. The chain grew to six hotels before selling to MWB Group in October 2004.
Basset published his first book in 2000 that focused on wine tasting designed for wine students called The Wine Experience edited by Kyle Cathie. In 2007, Basset opened Hotel TerraVina
Hotel Terravina
Hotel TerraVina is a boutique New Forest Hotel near Southampton in Hampshire, established by Gerard Basset and his wife Nina. Gerard co-founded Hotel du Vin with Robin Hutson. The hotel has 11 bedrooms, a large restaurant, bar and terrace and a swimming pool....
in the New Forest near Southampton with his wife Nina. Basset serves as the Worldwide Vice President at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is Director of the Academy of Food and Wine Service.
Basset was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
for services to the hospitality industry.