Scholarship and student award to celebrate Gerard Basset's passion for learning

A scholarship is to be set up in the name of world-leading sommelier Gerard Basset, who died last week at the age of 61.

Basset's widow Nina (pictured) and son Romané hope to create the scholarship, as well as an annual trophy prize to a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) student.

Nina said: "Romy and I are hoping to create an annual trophy prize to be awarded for a WSET student in Gerard's name and then a scholarship also of some sort. As yet, it's not very precise, but they will be in memory of Gerard and his passion for learning and mentoring."

Tasting Victory - The Life & Wines of the World's Favourite Sommelier - to be published later this year by Unbound.

Nina and Romané attended the annual WSET awards and graduation ceremony, which began with a tribute to Gerard from the trust's chief executive Ian Harris. Gerard had replaced leading wine writer Jancis Robinson as honorary president of the WSET.

Robinson, who was at last night's ceremony, said that Nina and Romané had been "quite amazed by the sheer quantity and quality of all the tributes that have been flowing in from all over the world".

She added: "Romané is studying French at King's College in London and is planning to spend part of the next academic year on an internship with MoÁ«t & Chandon in Champagne. Nina and her recently-widowed father are planning to rent a house there for some of the time."

Details of the fundraising campaign can be found here.

The WSET graduation ceremony saw a record-breaking 532 new diploma graduates - 21% more than last year - from over 40 countries honoured.

Key award winners included wine writer Mary Ewing-Mulligan, who carried off the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her contribution to the development and growth of WSET in the US. Ewing-Mulligan was the first woman in North America to become a Master of Wine.

The Outstanding Alumini Award went to wine writer Caro Maurer, who is based in Germany, while the Riedel Trophy for Educator of the Year was presented to West London Wine School.

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