Nominees in the 2027 No-Low Sommelier of the Year Category

Four sommeliers are in the running for the 2027 Gault&Millau No-Low Sommelier of the Year award. All stand out for their backgrounds and passion for the profession, showcasing wines from prestigious houses, hidden gems from lesser-known producers, and non-alcoholic creations. “There is one winner and four winners,” remarked Marc Esquerré, director of research, during the press conference.

Orane Vanheule, from the Auberge du Vert Mont in Boeschepe

Orane Vanheule, a native of Flanders, taught herself the trade, notably during several years in London. She is now the sommelier atthe Auberge du Vert Mont (3 toques) in Boeschepe, the family restaurant of chef Florent Ladeyn. Her wine list features organic, natural, and biodynamic wines, as well as on-site brewed beers. She also oversees the restaurant’s in-house fermentations—from apple-hop kefir to kombucha—and thus offers complete pairings, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

• See the Gault&Millau review ofthe Auberge du Vert Mont
• ViewOrane Vanheule’s Instagram account

Jean-Gabriel Siviragol, from Le Chantecler in Nice

Jean-Gabriel Siviragol, originally from Nîmes, first trained in the hospitality and restaurant industry and found his calling in front-of-house service before developing a passion for wine, encouraged by an uncle who was a cellar master. He honed his expertise working with Christophe Bacquié atthe Hôtel du Castellet, then in Monaco and Mauritius, where he led a team of about thirty people. Since October 2024, he has been working at Le Chantecler (3 toques), the Negresco’s gourmet restaurant in Nice, alongside chef Virginie Basselot.

• See the Gault&Millau review of Le Chantecler

Elsa Daudet, from La Table de Franck Putelat in Carcassonne

Elsa Daudet, who trained at the Lycée du Sacré-Cœur in Saint-Chély-d’Apcher, Lozère, was recognized in 2022 among student sommeliers by the Association des Sommeliers Formateurs. She then joined Franck Putelat, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France chef based at the foot of the Cité de Carcassonne, where she became head sommelier. At La Table de Franck Putelat (4 toques), she creates wine pairings focused on the Occitanie region, from the Corbières to the slopes of Salagou.

• See the Gault&Millau review of La Table de Franck Putelat
• View Elsa Daudet’s Instagram account

Alice Abgrall, of Les Frères Ibarboure in Bidart

In 2025,Alice Abgrall joined the restaurant run by Xabi Ibarboure and his brother Patrice Ibarboure in Bidart, where she serves as sommelier. She oversees a wine cellar with approximately 1,400 labels, well-stocked with Irouléguy, Madiran, and Spanish wines. Upon her arrival, she worked alongside the chefs and Soline Ibarboure to revamp the non-alcoholic menu at Les Frères Ibarboure (4 toques).

• See the Gault&Millau review of Les Frères Ibarboure
• View Alice Abgrall’s Instagram account