Gérard Basset Foundation and Noughty NA Wine Mentorship Grant for Women in Wine
The Gérard Basset Foundation has announced that thanks to the generous support of its partner NOUGHTY non-alcoholic wine, it has been able to award a new grant to Women in Wine LDN, helping to expand access to mentorship and professional development across the wine industry.
Through this grant, 30 individuals will receive tailored guidance and support from experienced wine professionals as part of the Women in Wine LDN Mentorship Scheme. Each mentee will be paired with a mentor working in the field in which they aspire, and together they will take part in a minimum of three one-to-one mentoring sessions, providing practical advice, encouragement, and career-building insight.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment between NOUGHTY, the Gérard Basset Foundation, and Women in Wine LDN to create a more inclusive, supportive and diverse UK wine industry, ensuring emerging talent has access to the networks and expertise needed for them to thrive.
NOUGHTY’s involvement in this grant carries special meaning for its founder and CEO Amanda Thomson, whose own career was shaped by the guidance of the late Gérard Basset OBE MW MS, widely regarded as one of the most respected figures in global wine. Gérard served as a mentor to Amanda during her early years in the industry, and his legacy continues to inspire her commitment to education, opportunity and mentorship for the next generation.
“We are incredibly proud to support this work,” said Thomson. “Mentorship played a defining role in my own journey, and Gérard’s belief in sharing knowledge and lifting others up has stayed with me ever since. Supporting Women in Wine LDN through the Foundation is a meaningful way to honour that legacy and help open doors for more people in our industry.”
"We are very grateful to NOUGHTY for their generous support which has enabled us to make this grant to Women in Wine LDN's fantastic mentorship programme,” says Romané Basset, Head of Operations & Co-Founding Trustee of the Gérard Basset Foundation. “We cannot wait to see how much each of the mentees supported by this grant will benefit.”
A little bit about the Gérard Basset Foundation
The Gérard Basset Foundation is the world’s leading charitable foundation dedicated to using the wine, spirits and hospitality industries as a vehicle for change. Gérard Basset (7th March 1957 – 16th January 2019) OBE MS MW MBA OIV MSc ASI World’s Best Sommelier 2010 was without question one of the greatest wine professionals of his era. During his lifetime, Gérard mentored and trained a generation of young sommeliers who sought out his expertise and guidance to launch their own successful careers. Many of those protégés are now connected with the Foundation and remain instrumental in keeping Gerard's legacy alive and flourishing. The Gérard Basset Foundation was co-founded in 2021 by Gérard's wife Nina and their son Romané who also serve as trustees alongside Jancis Robinson OBE MW and Ian Harris.
Some background on Women in Wine LDN
Women in wine LDN is a not-for-profit that has been connecting and advocating for women and people of marginalised genders in London’s wine industry for ten years. To mark a decade of Women in Wine LDN our first mentorship scheme was launched in 2025. It sought to provide structured, one-to-one mentorship opportunities to support and empower women and people of marginalised genders to progress in their wine careers. With this funding, they will be able to expand the programme and reach more mentees across the wine industry.