Travel, educational opportunities, and mentorship for the next generation of wine professionals

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  • We are the team behind the world-renowned wine festivals La Paulée, La Fête du Champagne, and La Tablée, as well as Pressoir.

    The Sommelier Scholarship Fund is an official 501c3 organization that expands our educational initiatives for sommeliers that started in 2014 and have continued over the years with numerous "Sommelier Scholarship" trips to Burgundy and Champagne.

    We have been fortunate to have had opportunities throughout our years as professionals to learn about wine by walking the vineyards and tasting in the cellars of great winemakers. We have created this foundation to pay these experiences forward to the next generation of wine professionals, whose training, knowledge, and passion are vital to the furtherance of wine culture in restaurants in the United States and around the world.

    Our objective is to open doors to young sommeliers and wine professionals who are striving to achieve excellence in the world of wine through organizing educational travel programs - both to wine regions and to come work at our festivals - hosting seminars & dinners, and supporting other educational organizations and initiatives.

  • Check back soon

  • Champagne, April 2024 (CLOSED)

    Laura Algieri - Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsey
    Lee Stein - Vintage Conservatory
    Heather Barr - Homespun Foods
    Thomas Kakalios - Asador Bastian

    Northern Rhône, January 2024

    Daniel Agusto - Aska, NYC
    Laura Madera Nadal - Pio Pio Restaurant, San Juan, PR
    Cara Patricia - DECANTsf, San Francisco, CA
    Matt Turner - Roscioli, NYC

    Burgundy, January 2024

    Rachel Lundell - 801 Chophouse, Minneapolis, MN
    Luke Burrows - Herons (The Umstead Hotel), Raleigh, NC
    Chris McLloyd - Aria, Atlanta, GA
    Tira Johnson - ILIS, NYC

    Northern Rhône, July 2023

    Emma Bavera • Mel’s, NYC
    Ross Cohen • Oiji Mi, NYC
    Jodi Mixon • The Noortwyck, NYC
    Erin Okayama • Anto, NYC

    Champagne, January 2023

    Hugo Songthum Wai • Niche Niche, NYC
    Kezia Prajitna • Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen, Kansas City
    Eleanor Reppy • Momofuku Ko, NYC
    Madeline Miller • Misi, NYC

    Burgundy, January 2023

    Macarena Carillo • COTE Miami
    Hannah Small • Atoboy, NYC
    Rick Arline • Hotel PerLa, Los Angeles
    David Bérubé • DANIEL, NYC

    Northern Rhône July 2-7, 2022

    Etinosa Emokpae • The Roots Fund, Skurnik Wines & Spirits, Philadelphia, PA
    Gilber Flores • Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, New York, NY
    Roxy Eve Narvaez • Second Vine Wine, New Orleans, LA

    Champagne, January 2022
    Luis Garcia • Per Se, New York, NY
    Ryanna Kramer • Tavernetta, Denver, CO
    Femi Oyediran • Graft Wine Shop, Charleston SC
    Dwight Alexander Phyall • The Roots Fund, Washington DC

    Burgundy, January 2020
    Arni Cabatingan • Atomix, New York, NY
    Erica Catubig • Canlis, Seattle, WA
    Alec Cummings • The Morris, San Francisco, CA
    Jeremy Schwartz • Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, CO

    Burgundy, January 2019
    Daniel Bjugstad • Pasquale Jones, New York, NY
    Patrick Wert • The Grill, New York, NY

    Burgundy, January 2018
    Jennifer Ely • Private Cellar Selections, New York, NY
    Daniel Jung • Tribeca Grill, New York, NY
    Katja Scharnagl • Le Bernardin, New York, NY

    Burgundy, January 2017
    Ashley Broshious • Charlie Palmer Steak, Napa, CA
    Caleb Ganzer • Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, New York, NY
    Eduardo Porto-Carreiro • Untitled at the Whitney, New York, NY

    Burgundy, January 2016
    Cedric Nicaise • Eleven Madison Park, New York, NY
    Kimberly Prokoshyn • Rebelle, New York, NY
    Steve Wildy • Vetri, Philadelphia, PA

    Burgundy, November 2014
    Bryn Birkhahn • Pearl & Ash, New York, NY
    Carlin Karr • Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, CO
    Jeff Taylor • Betony, New York, NY

  • Interested in supporting the Sommelier Scholarship Fund and its activities?

    Click here to donate with your credit card.

    We also accept checks - please make them out to:

    Sommelier Scholarship Fund Inc
    285 West Broadway, Suite 440
    New York, NY 10013

    Donations are tax deductible under 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code

Partners:

We are strong believers in the need to bring more diversity and inclusivity into the wine industry. The Roots Fund has been a leading force in this regard, and we are proud to support their mission of providing pathways in the wine industry to communities of color by offering educational and mentorship opportunities to their scholars both on our trips and at our festivals.

$25,000
107% Funded
$26,710 Raised
Days to Go
50 Sponsors

Bike to Care 2024

For the third year in a row, I was proud to captain the American sommelier team leading a fundraising effort in the global initiative Bike To Care.

Bike to Care was launched by Maison Louis Jadot in 2022 in an effort to support workers in the hospitality industry who had been affected by the pandemic. These initiatives continue by supporting training and professional development of these same workers and those entering our industry.

Eight countries rode this year with two teams per country - a chef team and a sommelier team supporting their individual charitable organizations. 

My team raised money for the Sommelier Scholarship Fund.

Your donation directly funds scholarships and also encouraged us to complete the 200km bike ride in Burgundy this June.

Thank you,

Daniel Johnnes, Founder

2024 Bike to Care en Bourgogne - American Sommelier Team

Daniel Johnnes La Paulée (CAPTAIN)
Nikita Malhotra La Paulée
Edouard Bourgeois La Paulée
Andy Chabot Blackberry Farm
Sarah Chabot Blackberry Farm
Jamie Schlicht Jungsik
Todd Mathis DNS Wines
Sudeep Rangi