News
Zareh Mesrobyan Takes the 2026 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge UK
Zareh Mesrobyan, head of wine at Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire, has won the 2026 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge UK, a competition centred on rosé Champagne, ripening, and winemaking expertise.
What happened
Zareh Mesrobyan, head of wine at Estelle Manor — a private members' club in Oxfordshire — has been named the winner of the 2026 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge UK. The competition, organised by Champagne house Ruinart, took place on 10 June 2026 and tested candidates on their command of rosé Champagne, ripening, and winemaking. Mesrobyan's performance across these disciplines secured him the title.
Why it matters
The Ruinart Sommelier Challenge UK occupies a distinctive place in the British hospitality calendar. Rather than assessing the breadth of a sommelier's general wine knowledge, it demands focused, technical fluency in Champagne — and rosé Champagne in particular. To win is to demonstrate not merely familiarity with the category but a rigorous understanding of how colour, ripeness, and production method intersect in the glass.
For the UK hospitality sector, Mesrobyan's victory is a reminder that serious Champagne expertise is alive and well beyond the traditional fine-dining establishments of London. Estelle Manor, set in the Oxfordshire countryside, is not the most obvious stage for such a distinction, which makes the achievement all the more notable.
Context
Ruinart is among the oldest Champagne houses and has long placed rosé at the centre of its identity. The Sommelier Challenge bearing its name is designed to reflect those priorities, asking competitors to engage with the technical and sensory dimensions of rosé Champagne production — from the vineyard through to the finished wine.
Mesrobyan's role as head of wine at Estelle Manor places him at the intersection of luxury hospitality and serious wine service. Private members' clubs of this kind increasingly invest in wine programmes of genuine depth, and a victory in a nationally recognised Champagne competition affirms the calibre of expertise that such environments can cultivate.
The 2026 edition of the challenge continues a tradition of identifying and celebrating sommelier talent across the United Kingdom, with Champagne knowledge serving as both the discipline and the measure.