For those people who have not attended the finals of the UK Sommelier of the Year, I would strongly suggest you try and fit it in next year. It’s a cross between Traitors and Celebrity SAS - one wrong move or a bend of the knee can get you thrown out.
The finalists, who did remarkably well just to get to that stage, were tested across every aspect of modern sommellerie, including technical wine knowledge, blind tasting, food and wine pairing, spirits, fault identification and high-pressure service.
To add to the drama the final challenges are carried out live on stage in front of an audience of leading figures from across the UK wine industry.
(You can experience the intense UK Sommelier of the Year final for yourself with this recording of the whole event)
The examination was designed and delivered by the UK Sommelier Academy and assessed by an independent judging panelcomprising 18 former UK Sommelier of the Year winners and finalists, reinforcing the competition's reputation as the UK's most rigorous professional benchmark. It spanned two days of intense competition that attracted a record 68 applications.
For me the difference this year was the calibre of the sponsors and the expansion of the awards under the new leadership of Christelle Guibert, owner of UK Sommelier of the Year. She has taken the competition by storm and sprinkled her fairy dust on it.
The competition itself is as rigorous as before, but what Guibert has achieved in one year is remarkable - maybe our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, should take notes from her.
The UK Sommelier of The Year Competition deserves to be as sparkling as the Oscars, and encouraging guests like Benoit Gouez, chef de cave of sponsors, Moët & Chandon to attend and present the main award is how it should be.
The winner
Emma Denney, wine director at Claridge's, was named UK Sommmelier of the Year 2026
Emma Denney is the director of wine at Claridge's, an advanced sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers currently working towards the Master Sommelier diploma. Competing in the UK Sommelier of the Year for the fourth time, she had previously finished in fifth place before returning this year to claim the title.
In addition to taking the overall title, Denney was also awarded Best Performer in the Service Task, and the Blind Tasting Task.
Denney, who hails from Auckland in New Zealand, moved to the UK in 2017 when she was 24, having already built an extensive hospitality career back home, starting at the age of 13 as a dishwasher in Takapuna. She was also a competitive dancer in her youth - which may go some way to explaining the discipline needed to be an elite sommelier.
On winning the award Denney said: ‘"I'm incredibly happy. It was an incredibly hard group of people to compete against, and everyone was so supportive. We all worked very hard together. The girls I trained with—thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without them. It's been a long and sweaty two days, but an amazing day."
The three finalists in the UK Sommelier of the Year 2026: Emma Denney, Wilem Powell and Dolly Chao
Christelle Guibert, who took over ownership of the event from The Caterer last year, said the reason Denney ultimately stood to the judges was because she “delivered an exceptional performance throughout the competition.”
She added: “What distinguished her was not only her technical knowledge, but her composure, judgement and consistency under pressure.
"This year's competition demonstrated the remarkable strength of the profession in the UK. From a record number of applications to an exceptional standard throughout every stage of the competition, the future of British sommellerie has never looked stronger."
The UK Sommelier of the Year UK is judged by a prestigious panel of previous winners, Master Sommeliers and influential figures from across the sommelier community - including here (left to right) Jan Konetzki, Nina Basset and Tanguy Martin
The judges for the UK Sommelier of the Year 2026
The competition forms part of a wider programme of professional development, with candidates taking part in educational bootcamps and workshops in the months leading up to the final. Together, these initiatives aim to support the next generation of sommeliers while maintaining the standards that have made UK Sommelier of the Year one of the profession's most respected titles.
It is also aligned with international competition standards through its association with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) which means the winners are well placed to enter its separate global competitions.
Denney finished ahead of Dolly Chao, wine manager at LaBombe by Trivet, while Wilem Powell, head of beverage at BiBi, completed the podium in third place.
The UK Sommelier of the Year finals are held in front of a live audience
Other category awards presented during the competition included:
- Best Performer in Theory: Dion Wai, head sommelier, Cabotte.
- Best Performer in Food & Wine Matching: Sam Weatherill, wine director, Etch by Steven Edwards.
- Best Performer in Blind Spirits Tasting: Wilem Powell, head of beverage, BiBi.
* You can find out more about the UK Sommelier of the Year at its website here.
* Find out how the competition is run in our follow up interview with Christelle Guibert later in the week.
