Sergio dos Santos, head sommelier at the Atlantic Hotel Picture: TONY PIKE (00939919)

THE Atlantic Hotel’s head sommelier has reached the semi-finals of a major wine competition.

Sergio dos Santos is the only Channel Islander to have been selected to compete in the Academy of Food and Wine’s 2010 Sommelier of the Year competition in London.

He joins an élite group of 14 other finalists from top restaurants and hotels around the UK, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.

The competition will be held at the Westbury Mayfair Hotel and the top three sommeliers will go on to compete in the final on the same day.

Now in its 30th year, the competition rewards knowledge of wine, understanding of the restaurant business and ability to cope under pressure.

Atlantic Hotel owner and managing director Patrick Burke said: ‘We are delighted that Sergio has been shortlisted to compete among sommeliers from some of the best restaurants in the country. This achievement is another significant milestone for The Atlantic Hotel and can only add to Jersey’s growing reputation in the restaurant world.’

French-born Mr dos Santos has worked at the Atlantic Hotel since 2007 ,when he joined from Chewton Glen Hotel in Hampshire. He trained as a sommelier at Le Thalassa, a traditional restaurant in his home town of Lorient.

His other experiences include working at the Hôtel Million in Albertville and at the Hotel Majestic Villa des Lys in Cannes.

Sergio dos Santos, head sommelier at the Atlantic Hotel Picture: TONY PIKE (00939919)