UK Entry Wins World Championship

SOUTHAMPTON, England, May 6, 2010 - We have pleasure in announcing that Gerard Basset MS, MW, one
of the country's best known Sommeliers and owner of Hotel TerraVina in
Hampshire, has won the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI)
World's Best Sommelier Competition, held in Chile from the 12th-15th April
2010.

The competition attracted candidates from each of the ASI's 51
member countries, and consisted of a quarter final, semi final and the final,
in front of an audience with rigorous written and practical exams, including
blind tastings and service role plays to test the candidates' knowledge of
wine, spirits, and other beverages and food and wine pairing, as well as
their service skills to determine the winner of the competition. It is very
well known that the competition is hard, intense and demands complete
dedication and commitment to the industry.

French-born Basset, one of the co-founders of the successful
Hotel du Vin chain, has the distinction of being the only person in the world
who is a Master of Wine, Master Sommelier and who has the Wine MBA. He moved
to England 27 years ago, becoming Head Sommelier at Chewton Glen, the
Michelin-starred hotel in Hampshire. In 1989 he won UK Sommelier of the year.
In 1992 he won the Best International Sommelier for French Wines (Paris). In
1996 he won the Best Sommelier of Europe and in 1998 he qualified as a Master
of Wine, having already qualified as a Master Sommelier in 1989.

Gerard says, "I am absolutely delighted and completely
overwhelmed to have won. It's been a long hard road with many, many hours of
training for the competition - but to be crowned the World Champion is beyond
words."

Gerard goes on to say, "I would like to thank my wife, Nina,
and my son, Romane, for their love, support and sometimes extreme patience
with me! I wouldn't have been able to do it without them. Thanks also goes to
my family, friends, colleagues, well-wishers and other competitors for their
good luck and support - it's just incredible."

Nick Scade, Chairman of The Academy of Food and Wine, the UK
branch of ASI, says "We are so pleased that Gerard has won this very
prestigious accolade - he is a true ambassador for the UK and his
achievements are exemplary. We recognise how hard he's worked to win this
championship, and he really does deserve to win. Congratulations Gerard!"

Editors Notes:

If you would like to interview Gerard, have access to
photographs or visit him at Hotel TerraVina please contact Darren Northeast
(working on behalf of Hotel TerraVina) on +44(0)1202-676762 or by e-mail to
darren@spiralmpr.co.uk.

For more information about Hotel TerraVina please visit
www.hotelterravina.co.uk or call +44(0)2380-293-784 of follow them on
Facebook, Twitter and their weekly Blog.

If you would like to interview Gerard, have access to
photographs or visit him at Hotel TerraVina please contact Darren Northeast
(working on behalf of Hotel TerraVina) on +44(0)1202-676762 or by e-mail to
darren at spiralmpr.co.uk; For more information about Hotel TerraVina please visit
www.hotelterravina.co.uk or call +44(0)2380-293-784 of follow them on
Facebook, Twitter and their weekly Blog.