Medlar Restaurant's Clement Robert is Moët UK Sommelier of the Year 2013 champion

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.