As we well know, the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the hospitality industry — from chef and server to restaurateur and sommelier. Equally hard-hit are the students who dream of staking their claim in the once-dynamic industry that encompasses the world of wine.
But Glancy Wine Education Foundation (founded in 2011 by master sommelier David Glancy) forged ahead on November 14 with its ninth annual (virtual) Somm Olympics and Scholarship Auction — its primary fundraiser to provide scholarships to minority and low-income students of the San Francisco Wine School.
The spirited event featured four female sommeliers (Wendy Shoemaker, Angie An, Jienna Basaldu, Beki Miller) competing in a blind-tasting challenge dubbed “Wine Jeopardy” as well as an obstacle-course race while balancing a Riedel serpentine decanter atop a tray. And guests, who joined in from around the country, followed along online, savoring sips from custom wine-tasting kits created by the wine school.
SOMM OLYMPICS
Cause: Glancy Wine Education Foundation
Attendees: 150
Impact: $160,000
