Chairman of Regional France Panel, Decanter World Wine Awards, 2010

Gerard Basset, co-founder of the renowned Hotel du Vin chain, is currently President of the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Over the years Basset has won a clutch of awards, including the best UK Sommelier for French Wine from Sopexa, Champagne Ruinart UK Sommelier of the Year, Sopexa Best International Sommelier for French Wine, and Ruinart Best Sommelier in Europe.

He is currently a director of Hotel TerraVina in Hampshire, which he opened with his wife Nina in 2007.

For the first time in the Decanter World Wine Awards' seven-year history, Languedoc-Roussillon and Regional France have been split into two categories.

This is due to the two regions' unprecedented success at last year's Awards: 2009 entries from Languedoc were up 37% on 2008, and entries for Regional France were up 22%.

Decanter World Wine Awards executive Christabel Cairns said, 'This will give entries the chance to shine amongst wines from their own region.

'Those showing the best regional typicity could clinch a regional trophy.'

Languedoc-Roussillon will continue to be chaired by Andrew Jefford, who previously chaired the joint Languedoc-Roussillon and Regional France category.