Emma Denney crowned UK Sommelier of the Year 2026 after record-breaking competition
Photo courtesy of Christelle Guibert and wine_media-association
London, 8 July 2026 — Emma Denney, Director of Wine at Claridge's, has been crowned UK Sommelier of the Year 2026, securing the UK's most prestigious professional title for sommeliers after two days of intense competition that attracted a record 68 applications.
An Advanced Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers currently working towards the Master Sommelier diploma, Denney emerged victorious following a demanding series of theory examinations, blind tastings and practical service assessments before a live audience at St John's Church, Waterloo, London.
She finished ahead of Dolly Chao, Wine Manager at LaBombe by Trivet, while Wilem Powell, Head of Beverage at BiBi, completed the podium in third place.
This year's competition attracted entrants from 56 hospitality establishments, representing 33 nationalities, with 39 competitors entering for the first time—a reflection of the growing depth and diversity of talent within the UK hospitality industry.
Denney's victory follows years of perseverance. Competing in the UK Sommelier of the Year for the fourth time, she had previously finished in fifth place before returning this year to claim the title.
Speaking after being announced as the winner, she said:
"This is my fourth year entering the competition, and I was hoping to beat my placing from last year, when I finished fifth. Safe to say I've done that.
"I'm incredibly happy. It was an incredibly hard group of people to compete against, and everyone was so supportive. We all worked very hard together. The girls I trained with—thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without them. It's been a long and sweaty two days, but an amazing day."
The finalists were tested across every aspect of modern sommellerie, including technical wine knowledge, blind tasting, food and wine pairing, spirits, fault identification and high-pressure service. The examination was designed and delivered by the UK Sommelier Academy and assessed by an independent judging panel comprising 18 former UK Sommelier of the Year winners and finalists, reinforcing the competition's reputation as the UK's most rigorous professional benchmark.
In addition to taking the overall title, Denney was also awarded Best Performer in the Service Task, and the Blind Tasting Task.
Other category awards presented during the competition included:
Best Performer in Theory — Dion Wai, Head Sommelier, Cabotte
Best Performer in Food & Wine Matching — Sam Weatherill, Wine Director, Etch by Steven Edwards
Best Performer in Blind Spirits Tasting — Wilem Powell, Head of Beverage, BiBi
Christelle Guibert, owner of UK Sommelier of the Year, said:
"Emma delivered an exceptional performance throughout the competition. What distinguished her was not only her technical knowledge, but her composure, judgement and consistency under pressure.
"This year's competition demonstrated the remarkable strength of the profession in the UK. From a record number of applications to an exceptional standard throughout every stage of the competition, the future of British sommellerie has never looked stronger."
Now in its latest edition, UK Sommelier of the Year continues to represent the highest professional benchmark for sommeliers in the UK.
The UKSA designs and runs the competition with international competition standards through its association with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), the competition assesses the knowledge, judgement and service skills required at the highest level of the profession.
The competition forms part of a wider programme of professional development, with candidates taking part in educational bootcamps and workshops in the months leading up to the final. Together, these initiatives aim to support the next generation of sommeliers while maintaining the standards that have made UK Sommelier one of the profession's most respected titles.
2026 UK Sommelier of the Year Results
Winner: Emma Denney — Director of Wine, Claridge's
Runner-up: Dolly Chao — Wine Manager, LaBombe by Trivet
Third Place: Wilem Powell — Head of Beverage, BiBi
Category Awards
Best Performer in Blind Wine Tasting – Emma Denney, Director of Wine, Claridge's
Best Performer in Blind Spirits Tasting — Wilem Powell, Head of Beverage, BiBi
Best Performer in Theory — Dion Wai, Head Sommelier, Cabotte
Best Performer in Food & Wine Matching — Sam Weatherill, Wine Director, Etch by Steven Edwards
Best Performer in Service — Emma Denney, Director of Wine, Claridge's
We wish to thank Romain Bourger and Alexandre Freguin who headed up our Technical Committee to design and execute the most rigourous competition and all the judges who lent their time.
Thanks go to Christelle Guibert who has taken the competition to into a new era and her team plus all the sponsors and partners who supported the event.
