{"id":162497,"date":"2026-09-23T03:42:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T00:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/?p=162497"},"modified":"2026-09-22T13:45:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T10:45:46","slug":"two-championships-for-estonia-at-the-baltic-sommelier-competition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/en\/two-championships-for-estonia-at-the-baltic-sommelier-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Championships for Estonia at the Baltic Sommelier Competition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Estonia\u2019s Aleksei Pogrebnoi<\/b> won the Baltic Sommelier Grand Prix in Tallinn at the weekend, held for the 20th time, becoming the Baltic countries\u2019 best sommelier for the second time. Last year\u2019s champion, Lithuania\u2019s Ignatij Semionov<\/b>, came in second, while Estonia\u2019s Kevin Lilleleht<\/b> finished third. The title of Best Young Sommelier also stayed in Estonia this year, going to Keili \u00d5ispuu<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Over two days, the competitors completed numerous written and practical tasks. Based on the points awarded, the four best of the 12 participants advanced to Saturday\u2019s final, held in front of an international jury and an audience. In the final, the competitors were given a series of surprise tasks. Over the years, finalists have had to blind-taste and decant wines, correct factual errors hidden in wine lists, and recommend drinks to accompany lengthy tasting menus.<\/p>\n

Pogrebnoi, who works as head sommelier at NOA Chef\u2019s Hall, also won the competition in 2023. His recent achievements include being named Estonia\u2019s Sommelier of the Year by the Michelin Guide jury in May, as well as last year\u2019s titles of Estonia\u2019s Best Sommelier and the Baltic countries\u2019 second-best sommelier.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels a little unreal to be named the Baltic\u2019s best sommelier for the second time\u2014not many people have achieved this,\u201d Pogrebnoi said after his victory.<\/p>\n

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The competitors performed practical tasks in front of the judges and the audience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The Grand Prix has been organised since 2006 through cooperation between the sommelier associations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Each country is represented by three more experienced sommeliers, and one young sommelier who has recently entered the profession. Estonia\u2019s other two main competitors this time were Kevin Lilleleht, representing 180 Degrees by Matthias Diether and Soo restaurants, and Federico Grasso<\/b>, the sommelier and owner of Controvento restaurant. The young sommelier competition featured rising stars Keili \u00d5ispuu, who works at 180 Degrees alongside Lilleleht, Lithuania\u2019s Karolina \u017digait\u0117<\/b> and Latvia\u2019s Natalia Tronova<\/b>, who competed as invited participants.<\/p>\n

The competition jury was chaired by Mikk Parre<\/b>, who, in Pogrebnoi\u2019s words, has also won the Baltic championship twice, in 2022 and 2024. In the latter championship year, he also won the title of the best sommelier in the EMEA region. Parre now works as a freelance sommelier and international drinks consultant, while also serving on the five-member board of the Estonian Sommelier Association.<\/p>\n

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Estonia\u2019s Aleksei Pogrebnoi won the Baltic Sommelier Grand Prix in Tallinn at the weekend, held for the 20th time, becoming … Read more<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":162479,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[24881,26400,28362,28363,13394,16895,20553],"class_list":["post-162497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-estonia","tag-noa-chefs-hall-6","tag-180-degrees","tag-drinking-culture","tag-wines","tag-travel","tag-sommelier-2","tag-competition"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t