Meet the Champion: Maria Boumpa

Thu 17 Jul 2025

By Lucy Shaw

Having just won the IWSC UK Sommelier of the Year competition, which was held in London last week, we caught up with 2025 champion Maria Boumpa – restaurant manager and wine director at Da Terra in London’s Bethnal Green – to find out how she kept her cool during the final, what it felt like to lift the trophy, and which celebrities she’s served Burgundy to.

What first ignited your passion for wine?

While studying economics in Greece I worked at a restaurant to pay the bills and quite enjoyed it. I started working in hospitality full-time when I graduated in 2014, and in 2017 I did a stage at Michelin-starred restaurant Kokkeriet in Denmark, which had a 20-course tasting menu with different wine pairings, which really opened my eyes to the world of wine.

Who have your biggest mentors been?

Stefan Neumann MS has been a great mentor to me since I moved to London in 2019. My boss used to work with him at The Fat Duck, so I asked him for guidance before starting my Court of Master Sommeliers studies. Queena Wong has been another important mentor who has helped to connect me with fellow female sommeliers who I’ve formed study groups with.

How did you prepare for the UK Sommelier of the Year competition?

I’ve been preparing since last year’s competition. I was unprepared last year but I ended up in the finals, which was a bit of a shock. I came third and got the highest score in the theory and tasting elements, so I wanted to come back this year and compete again. My prep involved fine-tuning the details and making sure I was mentally prepared for the stress of the finals.

How did you hold your nerve during the final?

It’s super important to keep your cool on stage. The talent level is really high and everyone has more or less the same level of knowledge, so what makes the difference is who is holding their nerve better. The wire cage snapped when I was trying to open the bottle for the Champagne pour, but I managed to prize it open and hid my nerves pretty well on stage.

Did you do anything differently this year to win?

I tried to improve a few small details and how I presented myself on stage and approached the practical scenarios. I haven’t done many wine competitions and being there for the second time definitely helped, as I knew what to expect. The tasks are different every year but you know how to approach them. I was very determined this year and wanted to win.

What did it feel like when you were announced as the winner?

I couldn’t believe it and it still hasn’t sunk in yet. I had to work four double shifts afterwards, so I haven’t celebrated properly yet, but I’ve had loads of messages from people in the industry congratulating me. I’ve been overwhelmed by the support people have shown me. All I want to do right now is sleep, but on the day I celebrated the win with a glass of Krug.

Has winning made you hungry to compete in other competitions?

Definitely. I want to compete in more competitions – the Best Sommelier of Europe would be a good one to try next. Competitions keep you busy and on top of things. At the end of the day it’s all about improving yourself; the journey is as important as the destination. I think I’ll also give the World’s Best Sommelier 2026 competition a go, which will be held in Lisbon.

What advice would you give somms who want to take part in the UK competition?

My advice would be to go for it. If you don’t try you’ll never know your level. I was surprised where my theory and tasting level was at last year, and the fact that I was competing with people I look up to. The UK Sommelier of the Year is a great opportunity to meet and connect with fellow sommeliers. I’ve made a lot of friends through the competition.

What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far?

The first was when I passed my advanced Court of Master Sommeliers exam in 2024 in Greece and got the highest score for it. The second was ending up in the final of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition last year. The third was winning this year, which was a big deal. As part of my prize I’m going to Margaret River in November, which I’m excited about.

What do you enjoy most about being a sommelier?

I really like the buzz of being on the restaurant floor during a busy service, but I also love building our wine list at Da Terra and I quite like studying too. The social element of being a sommelier is fun. It’s so easy to interact and connect with guests through the wines that we serve by telling them the stories behind the wines and the winemakers who made them.

What career advice would you give sommeliers entering the industry?

Be humble and prepared to work very hard, and try to make the right connections. You can’t stand alone in this industry; you need a strong network around you. It’s also really important to be curious and perseverant. There are no guarantees in life, and sometimes you need to be in the right environment and make opportunities happen if they don’t come to you.

What qualities are essential to succeed as a sommelier?

You need to be really resilient and hard-working, but also humble and adaptable. Not every guest and table is the same, and you’re just there to help. The whole image of hospitality back in the day was a bit snobby, but things are different now and the new generation of sommeliers aren’t snobby – we understand our place in the industry.

Have you ever served any celebrities?

I looked after David and Victoria Beckham. He was drinking red Burgundy and she was sipping vodka and soda. Ed Sheeran has dined at Da Terra. He likes his wine, but his beer more. I served him a white Burgundy. Every time we get a famous person in they’re so down to earth, which is nice to see.

What are your future goals within the wine industry?

I need to finish my WSET Diploma, which I’ll be done with soon, then I hope to be invited onto the Master Sommelier programme, which will be a marathon once you get onto it. Da Terra is always looking to grow, and we have plans for new restaurant concepts in the future.

What’s your favourite food and wine match and why?

It’s a pairing that was on one of our tasting menus: a 1987 Madeira Terrantez with quail tortellini in a quail broth served with quail breast stuffed with truffle mousse on a skewer. It’s a super earthy and gamey dish, and the sweetness and nuttiness of the Madeira works really well with it. I like the complexity of it and the sweet-savoury interplay of the flavours.

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Check out our other news and winners from the competition below...

Before we moved onto the live Final, our top 10 candidates from the Quarter Finals competed in the Semi Finals, and had to complete 3 tasks: Blind Tasting, Service & Pouring.

Below are the semi-finalists who placed 4th to 10th. (The top three went on to compete in the Final - more on them shortly.)

10th place: Martin Kleveta - Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
9th place: Wilem Powell - Bibi Restaurant
8th place: Kristina Gladilina - Lita Marylebone
7th place: Daniel Stojcic - Estelle Manor
6th place: Zareh Mesrobyan - Estelle Manor
5th place: Emma Denney - Claridge's
4th place: Melania Battiston - Cornus

All ten semi-finalists received handblown glassware from Gabriel Glas, a Coravin device each, and Chateau Laguiole corkscrews.

Semi Finallists.png

After the Semi Finals finished, our judges reviewed scores and selected the top three to progress onto the live Final. On stage, in front of an audience of nearly 200 members of the hospitality industry - including their fellow competitors - the finalists faced a series of challenging tasks: Wine List Correction, Blind Tasting, Bar Service, Food & Wine Pairing, an on-stage quiz, and of course, the iconic Champagne Pour.

The 3 finalists were:

3rd place: Joanna Neretanzi – 5 Hertford Street
2nd place: Dion Wai – Raffles London at The OWO
1st place: Maria Boumpa – Da Terra Restaurant

Each finalist was awarded a unique prize from the Irish Craft Whiskey Co.: The Taoscán, the world’s first whiskey finished in Port and Chestnut casks.

The Awards didn't end there! Before announcing Maria as the winner - and presenting her with an incredible set of prizes, including a VIP trip to Pair'd from Margaret River Wines, and a visit to VieVinum in Austria from the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, we awarded 5 Best Perfomer Trophies - taken from the Quarter Finals & Semi Finals:

Best Performer in Wine Tasting, sponsored by Chateau D'Esclans: Joanna Nerantzi

Best Performer in Spirits Tasting, sponsored by Amathus Drinks: Dion Wai

Best Performer in Theory, sponsored by Bibendum: Maria Boumpa

Best Performer in Food and Wine Matching, sponsored by Edmond De Rothschild Heritage: Emma Denney

Best Performer in Service, sponsored by Moët Hennessy: Kristina Gladilina

Congratulations to all participants and winners - and thank you to our sponsors