Clement Robert impressed judges with his knowledge of wine, which was assessed through a blind tasting and real restaurant-like role play among other tests.
Second was head sommelier at The Ritz, Tobias Brauweiler, with Kathrine Larsen of Zuma third.
London’s Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park saw 15 quarter-finalists whittled down to six semi finalists who then competed for three places in the final. One pub sommelier made the final - Marcin Oziebly of Albert Square Chop House in Manchester - but was eliminated in the first round.
"It was an absolutely great atmosphere and good to see all the other sommeliers and compare levels and see where I am as a sommelier," he said. "It was priceless
experience – I will be back next year!
"The competition has offered me an amazing opportunity to meeting other sommeliers and get an idea of standards. The fact I got into the top 15 shows that
good wine is being drunk everywhere now, and not just for a special occasion. Good wine is becoming more and more for everyday drinking.
"I work in a pub, a very nice pub, but a pub. We have 150 wines on our list and we are fortunate enough to have customers who justify that. Nowadays you
can get amazing wines a lot cheaper – wines are becoming more accessible and people enjoy it more regularly.
"We sell 36 wines by the glass and we have a wine tasting menu. The whole concept of wine in a pub is changing."
Robert won a trip to Maison Moët & Chandon, a hand-crafted and engraved silver Jeroboam of Moët & Chandon, a Riedel Tyrol Decanter, a collection of Riedel Vinum
glasses and a Magnum of 2009 Domaine Boutinot La Côte Sauvage Cairanne. He will also have the opportunity to stay as a guest of Domaine Boutinot at their vineyard in the Southern Rhône valley during the 2013 harvest.
The two runners-up receive an engraved magnum of Moët & Chandon Imperial NV, an engraved Riedel O Decanter with Vinum glasses and a finalist certificate.