High roller in the consumption of Portuguese wines in Brazil, the Alentejo region receives special attention from Brazilian professionals for its millenary tradition, history and quality of wines.

Five of these professionals will depart for Portugal in November for the grand final of the competition ‘The Best Wines of Alentejo Sommelier  in Brazil 2021’, promoted by the Alentejo Regional Winegrowing Commission (CVRA).

Only 10 sommeliers were selected for the semifinals and five will have the chance to win the title, which will be announced on November 12th, after a practical and a theoretical test. The theoretical test includes knowledge of wines and the region and the practical test involves the sommelier's service before a panel of judges that includes journalist and wine critic Alexandre Lalas.

The finalists, from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis, are:

Ju Carani – One of the great names of the new generation of sommeliers that is emerging in São Paulo. She is a sommelière at Ristorantino and a consultant for importer Clarets.

Lua Sampaio – Sommelière graduated from ABS-SP, owner of Flua Ipojuca, a Wine Bar in São Paulo.

Tiago Menezes – Works at the hotel and restaurant at Palácio Tangará, São Paulo. Sommelier graduated from ABS-SP, WSET level 3.

Lolô Riccobene – Sommelière with passages in several restaurants and importers. He works at Juliette Bistro, in Leblon.

Leandro Magalhães – Sommelier of the new generation, excels in technical knowledge. He works at The Wine Pub, a wine bar in Florianópolis.

Before the grand finale, the sommeliers will be in Alentejo between the 8th and 11th of November to deepen their knowledge of the region and become ambassadors for Alentejo wines in Brazil.

“The main objective of the competition is to increasingly strengthen the relationship between the Alentejo and the Brazilian market, thus contributing to the appreciation of this profession and to the dissemination of knowledge and consumption of Alentejo wines in Brazil”, summarizes Francisco Mateus , president of CVRA.

The finalist sommeliers were selected by a panel of judges formed by Francisco Mateus, Cecília Aldaz (sommelière of the Oro restaurant), Guilherme Corrêa (Brazilian resident in Portugal, director of the OnWine store) and Alexandre Lalas (journalist and member of the Magazine's Evidence Panel de Vinhos and editor of Gula magazine).